The Secret to Cooking
by wavybrownhair
Summary: "Listen well, Soma. The secret to becoming a great chef is meeting a woman that will make you want to give all the food you make to her…" This is the story of Joichiro and the woman who would become his wife and the secret to who he is today. Joichiro/OC (Rating may vary)
1. Chapter 1: Good News

_Hello! This is my first time publishing a story so please be gentle with me. If you see any errors or if you have comments on the story, please do leave a comment. This is not beta'd because I'm really shy about my work. If anyone wants to help me and beta my work, that'd be great. Also, I'm really nervous about this so if there aren't a lot of comments, I might just finish this story for myself and not post it anymore here. Anyway, I hope you guys like it and if you don't, please let me know where I can improve. Leave a comment if you want me to continue this story._

Chapter 1: Good News

2025

The kitchen is silent as Soma stands in the middle of it, waiting for four o'clock to arrive. He couldn't sleep the entire night from excitement and already have been to the fish market. He left in the middle of the night to scout for high-quality Pacific Saury because it is in season right now. He chuckles at the recollection of the Autumn Election where he battled against Akira Hayama and Ryo Kurokiba. Yes, he didn't end up winning but look at him now – standing in his own restaurant in central Tokyo and more importantly, engaged to Erina Nakiri.

Soma chuckles at the mere thought. If someone had told him during that first Autumn Election that seven years later he would be engaged to Erina, he'd laugh them out of the room. _Man, how time flies. Oh right, I have to call dad._ He looks over at the clock again; it is now two minutes past four. Soma curses.

"He's probably awake now," he mutters. He takes his phone out of his pocket and calls his father, Joichiro.

At the Yukihira Diner, nothing can be heard throughout the place except for Joichiro's snoring. Apart from that, the entire place is as still as a chopping board. Even the birds are still fast asleep. In his bedroom, Joichiro is sleeping soundly until a loud ring echoes throughout the diner. He groans and grabs his phone from beside his bed.

After wincing and blinking for a few moments, he finally recognizes Soma's name on the screen and answers the call. "Hey, Soma! How are you?"

"Hey, dad! I'm good—" He pushes himself upright, interrupting Soma.

"You haven't called your old man for a while now. I know you have that huge restaurant in Ginza, but it wouldn't take much for you to update me every now and then."

"I know dad, I'm sorry. I've just been really busy with everything." Joichiro laughs out loud.

"I'm just kidding. I'm happy you're finally too busy to call your father for some small talk. Just let me know what's going on with your life, okay?" He walks over to the kitchen and heats up some water for tea. He hears a chuckles coming from the other end.

"That's actually why I called. I have some news, dad." His heart flutters a little, a little nervous about Soma's announcement. He scoops up a few spoons of powdered tea into his cup.

"Well, go ahead. What is it?"

"Erina and I are engaged, dad." Joichiro stops dead in his tracks, completely forgetting the tea in front of him. As if on schedule, the pot whistles and shakes violently. "Dad? Dad! Your water pot! Dad!"

He snaps out of his trance, quickly removes the pot from the heat and turns off the stove. "Sorry, Soma, I just wasn't expecting that." He pours the water into his cup and stirs the tea slowly, still in somewhat of a shock.

"Well…?"

"Well, what?"

"Well, what do you think?" He takes a sip of his tea.

"I'm really happy for you, Soma. Erina is a great girl. I know you will be happy." A deep sigh of relief can be heard from the other side of the call. Joichiro chuckles. "Why, did you think I wouldn't be happy for you?" This time, Soma chuckles as well.

"It's not _that_ , but it's just I didn't know if you'd be particularly happy about me marrying Azami Nakiri's daughter." Joichiro laughs and shakes his head.

"Erina may be Azami's daughter, but she is far from what he is. She is a kind girl and I'm sure that you wouldn't marry her if she isn't a good influence on you and your future family."

"That really means a lot to me, dad. Thanks." Nothing can be heard from both parties for a few seconds until Soma breaks the heavy silence. They both knew the elephant in the room had to be addressed. "Will you be opening the diner today, dad?"

"You know I have to see her today, Soma."

"I know," Soma says simply. Joichiro brings the empty cup to the sink and pins the phone between his ear and shoulder before washing the cup. "Tell her I said hi. Oh, and also, congratulations."

"I will, Soma. Thank you." He dries off his hands before retrieving the phone.

"Anyway, dad, I have to go. My vegetables will arrive soon."

"Go ahead, Soma. Talk to you soon, eh?"

"I'll call when I get the time—" Faint beeping can be heard in the background. "That's my supplier, dad, I have to go and take care of this."

"No problem. Bye, Soma."

"Bye, dad."

Soma hangs up and Joichiro pockets his phone. After a quick bath, he makes her favourite snack before heading out the door, leaving the "closed" sign unturned.

Soon after leaving the diner and passing by a flower shop, Joichiro arrives at her place. He lays down the small blanket and places the bouquet of sunflowers neatly inside the vase, replacing the ones that had dried out in its place. Afterwards, he grabs the new incense sticks he bought near the entrance and lights them. He then grabs the small tub of water and with the ladle, pours water over the marble stone to clean it, also scrubbing the surface lightly to get rid of the dirt.

After offering a short prayer and thanks, a leaf falls from the tree and lands atop her tombstone. He brushes it off gently and reads her tombstone. It contains her kaimyo, the posthumous Buddhist name given to her after she died, and beside it is Joichiro's name in red ink. He sighs gently.

"Happy 23rd Wedding Anniversary, Hinata. We miss you." He pauses for a moment before reaching into his bag to get the box containing his homemade mochi. "I brought your favourite, mochi." He bites into the sweet snack. "Oh, I have news for you, love. Guess what? Soma is engaged. You'll never guess to whom—or I guess you knew already before me since you watch over Soma. Well now, I know you may not like the idea of Soma marrying Azami's daughter, but trust me, Erina is nothing like Azami. She is sweet and kind. Also, dear, you have to get over Azami turning your research society kitchen into his own—"

A strong gust of wind suddenly passes through. Joichiro laughs. "I know, I know. He's mean, but anyway, you have nothing to be worried about with Erina. She is a sweet girl and I know she loves Soma as much as you and I. If you don't believe me then go stalk your son to find out for yourself. Although I'm pretty sure you watch over us all the time." He sighs and closes his box of mochi before laying it near the tombstone. "I really do miss you, Hinata. It's been seventeen years, but not a day goes by that I don't wish I'd see you again."

 _I'm not even sure if I'm doing this whole author's note thingy correctly. I'm so new to this lol. So there's the first chapter. I hope you guys like it. Please leave comments if you want me to continue. Also if you have any notes on the story or my writing, please leave a comment._


	2. Chapter 2: Rainy Night

_(Still don't know if I'm doing this author's note thing correctly. Anyway, reddit theories about who Soma's mom is gave me ideas for this story. They're comments from gerahmurov, angelbelle, and TsuyoiNoHideki. I still don't know how to do the line thingy as well. I hope you guys like this chapter. I'm really nervous about this one cause it's two times longer than the first chapter. Again, please do leave comments cause I'm hella nervous about this whole thing hahaha oh and I really would appreciate it if you guys would tell me to continue cause I'm just scared that no one will read it. So anywway, here's chapter 2 haha)_

Chapter 2: Rainy Night

1995

 _Man, just how big is this school?_ Joichiro keeps checking his school map, searching for the so-called Polar Star Dormitory. _I've been walking for almost half an hour now and I still can't find that dormitory._ He huffed in defeat, looking up at the sky that is threateningly getting darker by the second. After a few more minutes of walking, he already passed by gigantic structures and towers that are also apparently part of the Totsuki Culinary Academy grounds.

Once again glancing at the map given to him by the academy, he stops in the middle of the road. _I'm pretty sure I'm lost now. I mean, according to this map, Polar Star should be to my right and—_ He glances over to his right and pauses his train of thought. _Is that it?_ He could see a house in the distance, although it is mostly covered by the trees. A few metres ahead of him, he could see a road that's going right, approximately to the direction of the concealed building. _I guess that's it_.

Joichiro laughs out loud. "Finally! Polar Storm Dormitory, here I come—" Just as he takes his first step towards the dirt road, the rain pours. "NANI?!" He glares at the offending sky as if his death glare can stop the rain from pouring. Giving up, he runs as fast as he can, hoping that he's right about where Polar Star is.

Halfway up the dirt road, the Polar Star Dormitory is already within his view. The building is not as intimidating as the other structures that he has passed by earlier, but it has its fair share of mystery. The rain continues in its torrential downpour as he nears the gate. His feet start to slip as the road slowly turns into mud, but he continues running until he comes to a halt at the gate. _I hope they haven't locked the doors yet._ He pushes the gate gently and sighs in relief when it opens. _Looks like my luck is turning around_ , he smiles at the thought.

Joichiro takes a second to look up at the three-storey building. _This is going to be my house for the next three years_. Overwhelmed by the thought, he looks up at the imposing, wooden main door, the wide glass windows, and the spacious balcony on the third floor. Joichiro slowly walks towards the main door, not quite sure what to expect inside. Someone informed him about the entrance test and he had some time to head to the nearby store to buy a couple of ingredients. But other than that, it seems no one actually knows what happens inside the Polar Storm Dormitory. _It's like this place has some sort of independence from the academy._

Just as he is about to knock on the door, it flies open. Even before he can react to what is happening, a girl runs out the door and crashes straight into his arms. The door closed as fast as it opened as if the person inside didn't even notice Joichiro. The unidentified girl who accidentally flung herself against Joichiro is now desperately peeling herself off him, apologizing non-stop. He helps her steady herself.

"Hey, it's okay. No need to apologize. It was an accident. No harm, no foul, right?" He smiles at her, hoping it would be enough to calm her down. _I think she's on the brink of a breakdown. Man, what the hell happened in there?_

"I'm so sorry. I'm just really clumsy." She continues to look down at the floor as if she's using every bit of her strength to refrain from bowing down in embarrassment.

"Really, it's no big deal. You don't have to feel so bad about it." The girl stays silent, unmoving. "Did you pass the entrance test?" She only sighs heavily in response, telling him everything he needed to know. "Well, that's okay. You can try again tomorrow, right? I can assist you to the nearest train station if you need to go home for tonight."

After a few more seconds of silence, the girl finally speaks up, "I can't go home tonight. My father expects a lot from me, I don't think he'll be so happy to hear that I couldn't even pass the entrance test in the dormitory."

"Well, where will you be staying tonight?" At this question, she sighs heavily again. Joichiro cringes internally. _Damn it, I'm just making things worse for this girl. I just can't seem to say anything right_.

"Fumio-san agreed to let me stay in the barn for the meantime."

"Oh, I see." Even though the idea of her staying in the barn doesn't sit well with Joichiro, it seems it's her only option. "Will you be okay there?"

"I'll be okay. Don't worry about me." She finally looks up at him, smiling weakly.

Upon finally seeing her face, Joichiro can't help but be speechless. Her light brown hair covered her face earlier, but now he couldn't stop staring at her deep brown eyes and soft, cherry-coloured lips. His chest tightened at the sight of tears at the corner of her eyes. She wiped them off hastily, apologizing again for looking like a mess. Joichiro couldn't stop himself from thinking she looked nothing like a mess.

He shook his head quickly, not wanting any such thoughts. His father always reminded him when he was young that if he wants to become successful, he needs to focus on his goals and not let himself get distracted. _I can't let myself be distracted by anyone or anything_ , he repeatedly thought to himself.

"You should go inside and take your test. Don't let me keep you out here." She said softly, smiling again at him. Joichiro cursed inwardly. _Damn it, why is it that I'm so unlucky. The very first girl I encounter at this school and she's absolutely beautiful. It's like the universe has it in for me_. "Oh, and Fumio-san may look old and easy to impress. But trust me; she's tougher than she looks."

Joichiro laughs, completely confident in his cooking abilities. "I'll promise to do my best."

"You should. Or else you'll end up in the barn with me." _That's not such a bad idea._ Joichiro internally punches himself the face. _What the hell are you thinking, Joichiro?!_ She laughs. Joichiro freezes, unsure if he said his thoughts out loud. "I'm sure you'll do fine, though. You look like you're prepared." She looks down at his grocery bag. " _I_ didn't even know there was a test." She chuckles.

"Didn't anyone tell you upon admission?"

"No, I think the one who assisted me was new here. He didn't even know about the Polar Star Dormitory. He just gave me my schedule and a map, and then sent me on my way." _Man, this girl is really unlucky._ "I only had a few vegetables with me."

"Well, what did you cook?" He asks, curious as to what made Fumio-san fail her.

"Why would I tell you? You might copy it!" She laughs.

"Why would I copy it? You failed, remember?" She abruptly stops laughing and looks as if she was stabbed in the chest. Joichiro punches himself internally in the face again. _Damn it, my mouth really gets me in the worst situations sometimes._

Dejected, she softly says, "Okay, fine. I made a curry carrot salad." Joichiro stares. _Curry…carrot…salad?_ "You can stop judging me. It was good but apparently not good enough. I'll try again tomorrow when I have a chance to pass by the market."

"Yeah, I'm sure you'll get in tomorrow." He smiles at her.

"Hopefully, I will." She chuckles. "You should really go inside now. It's getting dark." Joichiro looks away from her and is surprised at how dark it is. He barely looked away from her since meeting—or rather, crashing into her.

"The rain finally stopped," Joichiro noted absentmindedly. She nodded. "I should take my test now." She smiled again at him. Once again it's like someone reached into Joichiro's chest and squeezed his heart so hard that it stopped beating. He gently twists the door handle to enter the dormitory. In his peripheral vision, he could see her starting to walk away. "Wait!" He shouts out to her. She turns around, looking at him curiously. "I never asked—what's your name?"

"I'm Hinata Yukihira. How about you?"

"I'm Joichiro Saiba. It was nice meeting you, Hinata-san."

"You too, Saiba-kun." She smiles at him before turning around and walking towards the barn.

Joichiro couldn't help but smile, recalling the whirlwind chain of events that has happened since he stepped foot in Totsuki. True enough, Fumio-san is one tough lady and it wasn't easy to impress her but of course, Joichiro passed the entrance test with ease.

"It wasn't much!" He shouts after Fumio-san gave her approval, mostly out of habit. She invites him to dinner, right before shouting into the metal tubes for everyone to come down and eat. They all came downstairs to the dining room and Joichiro got to meet the rest of the Polar Star residents, including Gin Dojima, Jun Shiomi, and Azami Nakiri. After dinner, everyone went upstairs for a party in Jun's room, which she protested heavily against.

"Hey, Joichiro! You should come with us," one of the residents shouted. He was about to agree and go with them, but then he remembered Hinata who was all alone in the barn.

"Go ahead, I have something to take care of." They nodded and all went upstairs. He went back to the kitchen to look for Fumio. He found her washing the dishes and tapped her on the shoulders. "Fumio-san, are there any leftovers from dinner?" He asks, flashing her his best smile.

"Hmmm, I think there are some in the fridge. Why do you ask?" She looks at him curiously, her eyes narrowing at his too cheerful face.

"Nothing!" He laughs nervously, unsure if Fumio will be thrilled with his idea of bringing Hinata dinner.

After a few more seconds of Fumio staring at Joichiro and him smiling nervously, she went back to washing the dishes. He slowly backs away and heads toward the fridge. Just as he is about to take out the container with the leftover dinner, Fumio says, "Tell her to try again tomorrow and buy ingredients from the market this time." Joichiro chuckles. _I guess nothing escapes this woman_. "Make sure to bring that container back, okay?"

"Yes, Fumio-san. Thank you!" He revives the leftover dinner by reheating it in the stove and adding a few more touches here and there, earning an amused chuckle from Fumio who had just finished washing the dishes.

"Here—" Fumio handed over a thermos. "It's green tea."

"Thank you, Fumio-san." She waves as if she was growing impatient, but her smile tells him otherwise.

"Just remember to bring them back, okay?" She calls out behind him as she heads over to her room, leaving Joichiro alone in the kitchen. After washing the dishes he used for cooking, he grabbed the meal and thermos and headed outside for the barn.

In the barn, Hinata hugs herself tightly. _It sure is freezing in here. I wish I had brought a thicker jacket with me._ Hinata curses herself for not thinking ahead. No matter how tightly she wraps herself in her jacket, she still finds herself shivering like a wet kitten caught in a thunderstorm. _I shouldn't have used up all the vegetables in the entrance test, now I'm really hungry. Not to mention, freezing._ Sighing in frustration, she fights against the tears that are threatening to fall again from her eyes. _You have to stop crying, Hinata,_ she chides herself. _It's just one night. You'll pass the test tomorrow, take a warm bath, and sleep in your own soft, comfortable bed._ Hinata smiles at the optimistic thought.

The barn door creaks and slowly swings open. Hinata stares at the door, wondering if it's just the wind that caused it to open. A shadowy figure appears at the door. As the stranger walks towards her, Hinata's heart pounds loudly. As he nears, Hinata's eyes finally adjusted to the light and saw that it was Joichiro.

"Saiba-kun?" she asks aloud. "You didn't pass Fumio-san's test too?"

He laughs and sits on the wooden stool in front of her. "No, I passed. I just came by to bring you dinner and tea." He lifts up the bento box and the thermos he's holding in each hand. "I figured you'd be hungry and cold, so I asked Fumio-san for the leftovers. Of course, I added a little something here and there to make it more delicious." He smiles.

For the first time, Hinata takes a hard look at Joichiro. His long, reddish-brown hair is swept back, apart from the stray strand or two that always seem to hang in front of his face. But what truly take her breath away are his golden eyes that seem to shine brighter in the moonlight. He has a bright, kind smile that matches his carefree posture. As he prepares the bento box and pours tea for the two of them, Hinata can't help but feel a warm glow surrounding her now that he's around. Suddenly, the night doesn't seem so cold anymore.

"Here, drink tea. It'll warm you up." Joichiro hands over the thermos cup with tea. He then looks around the dimly-lit barn. "Man, it really _is_ freezing in here. Fumio-san wasn't kidding, huh?"

The warmth of the tea in her hands pulled Hinata away from her reverie. "Oh, yeah, it's really cold in here. Thank you so much for the tea, Saiba-kun." She smiles at him before drinking the tea. Hinata sighs in content and closes her eyes as she feels her insides warming up because of the tea. She slowly opens her eyes and is shocked that Joichiro is not in front of her anymore. She turns her head and almost screams when she sees him beside her. He's tinkering with a box installed in the wall, whatever he's doing seems to work because the device lights up after a few seconds.

"There." He stands up, wiping his hands clean on his pants. "I found the space heater. Let's hope I know what I'm doing and it works so it won't be so cold in here anymore." Joichiro returns to his seat in front of her and hands her the bento box. "Here—I know you're hungry." He smiles at her again.

"Thank you, Saiba-kun." She smiles and gently takes the bento box from his hand. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, I'm sure if I hadn't come here, Fumio-san would've brought you food." Hinata thought about telling him that Fumio-san wouldn't have, but he looked so sure that she didn't want to say anything otherwise. "Don't mind me, Hinata-san. Eat your dinner before it gets cold."

She silently eats the dinner prepared by Fumio-san and Joichiro. She sighs again in content, she could practically feel her stomach rejoicing. Upon finishing the meal, she couldn't help but think that her cooking skills are nowhere near Joichiro's and Fumio-san's. _It seems I have a lot to learn in this school._

"So, how was it?" he asks her, eagerly waiting for her answer. She chuckles at his enthusiasm. "Was it delicious?"

"It was delicious, Saiba-kun. Thank you." She hands back the empty bento box.

"It wasn't much!" Joichiro cheers, which confuses Hinata. He laughs at her confused face and stuffs the bento in the plastic bag. "Looks like the heater is working." He notes, looking at the glowing heater beside her. Before Hinata could thank him again, he asks her, "So, why did you go to Totsuki?"

She chuckles. "We own a diner in Sumiredori Shopping District. My mom is dead and I don't have any siblings so I have to take over the business someday. My dad sent me here to train as a chef."

They spend a few more hours talking about their lives, the recipes they've made, and even their plans for the future. Naturally, Hinata has her whole life laid out as she is destined to take over their special-of-the-day restaurant. Just as expected is Joichiro's plan for his future.

"I don't have any plans, actually. I want to be the best chef in the world and to do that I have to be the best here in Totsuki. But when we get out of here, I don't know what I'll do. Maybe I'll start my own restaurant, or maybe travel the world. I don't know, really." Joichiro continues to muse as he looks up at the ceiling in contemplation.

"So essentially, nothing? Your plan is nothing…?"

"I wouldn't say it's nothing, okay? It's a two-step plan. One, be the best here in Totsuki. Then two, be the best in the world."

"I'm blown away by your foresight and attention to detail, Saiba-kun." Hinata says sarcastically. Joichiro laughs out loud.

"I'm just not the type of person who makes plans so far into the future. I like to go where the wind takes me. Hopefully, I end up happy someday, that's all." Hinata blinks in surprise. For such an ambitious man, his end goal of being happy and satisfied with life comes as a shock. _Maybe he's joking?_ But one look at his serious face is enough to make her realize that he's not kidding at all.

"I hope I'm as carefree as you." Joichiro only smiles at her, a hint of sadness evident in his eyes. She laughs to break the tension. "Enough serious talk, tell me, what's the most disgusting dish you've made?"

Joichiro laughs out loud. "Oh man, I've made so many disgusting dishes."

They spend another hour talking about random things, sometimes the conversation turns serious but they don't mind. _It's like I can share anything to her_ , Joichiro thinks as he watches her laugh at his story of how he sent his classmate to the toilet in middle school because of his "experimental dish."

Sometime during the night, Joichiro left and their conversation inspired Hinata to do her best to get into Polar Star. Before the sun even rose, she left the barn to go to the market and buy the best ingredients. By the time she got back to Polar Star, the sun was already shining. Nervous and tightly holding her bag of ingredients, she knocks on the door. Fumio-san opens the door.

"Ready to take the test again?" she asks. Hinata nods, confident that this time she'll approve of her dish.

Half an hour later, Hinata is done with her dish. Fumio immediately tests the dish. Hinata carefully watches Fumio, her heart pounding in her chest. After a few more bites, Fumio sets down her spoon and looks up at her.

"Welcome to Polar Star Dormitory." Fumio smiles at Hinata, who exhales the breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"Thank you so much, Fumio-san!" Without thinking, she hugs Fumio, who was shocked at first but patted her back affectionately after a while.

"Here's your key. It's the girls turn to take a bath right now so you can go straight away." Fumio hands over the key to her room, 304.

After setting up her things in her room, Hinata gathers her things to take a much-needed bath. As she was preparing her things, someone knocks on her door. She walks over to open the door and is surprised to see Joichiro, casually leaning against the frame of her door.

"I heard we have a new resident here in Polar Star?" He smiles at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. She laughs weakly, her heart pounding heavily again. _Stop, Hinata. You're just imagining things. He said it so himself last night; you're his first friend in Totsuki. You have to stop feeling like this every time he smiles at you._

"Yeah, Fumio-san finally passed my dish."

"Well, what did you cook? No—better yet, can I taste it? Come on, I'm hungry, Hinata-san—" She opens her mouth to protest, but then he grabs her wrist and gently pulls her to go to the kitchen. "Also, you have to try my new dish!"

In shock, Hinata just allowed herself to be pulled by Joichiro as he led her downstairs, completely forgetting to leave behind the bag and towel she's carrying with her. She also doesn't notice the evil glint in Joichiro's eyes as he's thinking about making his latest "experimental" dish for her.

 _(So there's chapter 2. I hope you guys liked it! Please leave a comment if you want me to continue.)_


	3. Chapter 3: Fight My Battles

(Okay, so I made a mistake in the last chapter. Azami wasn't born a Nakiri, but was rather married into the family so during his time at Totsuki he was Azami Nakamura. Anyway, here's chapter 3. I guess you guys can tell that I pretty much don't have a lot going on in my life right now which is why I can churn out a chapter a day haha Hopefully I can keep this up so you guys won't have to wait long for updates. Lastly, thank you so much for the comments! I really appreciate them so much! *ugly crying*)

...

Chapter 3: Fight My Battles

1995

Two weeks after her getting into Totsuki, the academic year finally starts and Hinata vows to religiously attend all of her classes. Glancing down at her schedule, it seems her very first class is Advanced French Cuisine 1 with Professor Roland Chapelle. _We don't have a lot of French-based dishes in Yukihira Diner, but I'm sure I can do this,_ she reassures herself. _All I have to do is follow the recipe, pick the best ingredients, and not fall behind schedule. I'll be okay. I've spent the last 10 years training in our diner. This should be easy._ Having regained her confidence, she finally steps into the classroom.

Majority of the class was already inside the classroom, even though the class officially starts ten minutes later. She takes a seat at the back. _It seems no one at Polar Star is taking this class with me, huh?_ As she's looking out the window, someone taps her on the shoulder.

"Is it true you're one of the transfer students this year?" the guy asking leans on the counter, looking intently at her from head to toe, judging every inch of her appearance. Hinata shifts in her seat uncomfortably, not expecting such scrutiny from fellow classmates.

"Yeah, I just got in two weeks ago, actually." She says softly, trying to force a small smile.

The unnamed interrogator doesn't seem like he's done with his questions as he continues to stare at Hinata. "So why are you here? Are you inheriting a company or taking over a restaurant?"

"Oh, I'm taking over our family's restaurant."

"Well, have I heard of your restaurant before?" He suddenly straightens his posture, as if that piece of information suddenly made her more interesting to him. "Do you have any Michelin stars?"

"Michelin stars…? I don't think you've heard of us unless you've been to the Sumiredori Shopping District. We own Yukihira diner, it's a special-of-the-day restaurant."

Her classmate raises his eyebrow at her, "Did you just say you own a special-of-the-day restaurant?" He slowly opens his mouth as if to smile at her. Naively, she took it as a good sign and nodded enthusiastically. "You must be lost, little girl. You don't belong _here_!" He then laughed out loud.

Their other classmates nearby must have heard their conversation because they laughed along with him, pointing fingers and grabbing their stomachs. Hinata was speechless. _I thought I was going to be appreciated here. When I was in grade school and all of my classmates' parents were salarymen and businessmen, they all made fun of me because I was different. I thought maybe now that I'm in a culinary school; my background won't be so different from everybody else._ She sighed heavily as they continued to laugh at her. She turned around in her seat. _It hurts less when I don't actually see them laughing at me._

"Maybe you should just go home, eh? Little diner girls like you have no place here in Totsuki!"

"Maybe you should pick on someone your own size, huh?" A strong, familiar voice cuts through the laughter, rendering it silent instantaneously. Hinata turns around just in time to see Joichiro facing off with their classmate. His face seemed like he was bored but his clenching jaw told her otherwise.

"What if I don't want to? What are you gonna _do_ about it?" The man taunted, poking Joichiro's shoulder.

"I'm gonna beat you senseless." Hinata gasped and quickly rushes over to Joichiro's side, not wanting the situation to escalate.

She reaches out to Joichiro and lightly pulls him away. "Saiba-kun, please stop—"

Their classmate just chuckled. "Just what I'd expect from low-class cooks like you two. Well, I'm normally above all of this, but I'm willing to meet up with you after class and we'll see who'll beat—" Joichiro laughs. "Why are you laughing?"

"Look, pretty boy, I'd love nothing more than to beat your ass in a brawl because I know I'll win. But I was actually talking about beating you in a cook-off." The entire room fell silent. "When Professor Chapelle gets here, we'll have him judge our dishes. How about that?"

"If I win, you and your little girlfriend will leave Totsuki for good?" Hinata paled at the threat of leaving Totsuki before realizing his other insinuation.

"I-I'm not his—!" She protested weakly, her voice falling on deaf ears.

"Deal." Joichiro nods sternly. Hinata gapes at him, scared for her life. "If I win, you will get down on your knees and apologize to her. Also, you'll leave her alone for good."

Their enemy only scoffed. "There's no way in hell I will lose to either one of you, so okay, I'll accept that deal." They extend their arms and shake hands, not looking away from each other.

The tension is suddenly broken when the professor coughs loudly. Everyone in the classroom whipped their heads around in shock. Professor Chapelle watches them silently as they disperse to their respective places.

"Saiba-kun, what did you do?" Hinata whispered sharply to Joichiro who is actually _smiling_ as if he didn't just wager their high school education over something so stupid.

"We'll be fine, don't worry," Joichiro assures her, but even his confidence is doing nothing for her nerves.

Once the class settled in their own kitchen counters, Professor Chapelle looks at each of them intently before speaking, "While I'd like to have been consulted _first_ before a cook-off is arranged—" They all look at him in shock, wondering just how long was he already in the classroom. "It seems both parties are _intent_ on making this happen, so I'll allow it. But you won't be facing each other one-on-one. Everyone should have a partner for today's practical exam."

The class paired off. "Uhm…Saiba-kun?" Hinata softly calls out to Joichiro who was inspecting his knives. He hummed absentmindedly in response, angling his head a bit towards her direction. "Is it okay if you're my partner?"

He looks up and laughs. Hinata gulped nervously. "Of course you're my partner, Hinata-san. Who else would I be with?"

Before Hinata could say anything, Professor Chapelle pushed one of the whiteboards out of the way to reveal the full recipe written on the board behind it. "The recipe for today is Lobster and Seafood Bouillabaisse. You have three hours to finish." Everyone rushes to grab their ingredients. "Oh and before I forget—" With only the sound of rushed breathing in the air, everyone anticipates the professor's final note. He sits down in his chair and crosses his arms across his chest. "You either get an A or you get an E. There is _no in between_. You may begin." With his final words, everyone returned to fighting over the ingredients.

"Hinata, I'll grab the seafood, you get the rest." Joichiro immediately tells her after Chapelle's announcement, not at all taken aback by his ultimatum.

Inspired by his confidence, Hinata nodded and shouted, "Hai!" Joichiro smiled at her before running over to the small tub in one area of the room containing the live lobsters. Hinata headed straight towards the selection of vegetables and seasoning.

After gathering the needed ingredients, they both went straight to preparations. Without saying another word to each other, they understood what needed to be done and worked seamlessly together. The rest of the class watches them and whispers to one another, amazed at how Hinata and Joichiro seem to read each other's minds. "It's like they've been cooking together for a long time," Hinata hears one of their classmates whisper behind her back. She smiles inwardly, not wanting to be distracted from her work.

Almost three hours is up and everyone is rushing to finish their plate. Hinata and Joichiro are plating their bouillabaisse, carefully arranging the seafood and vegetables around the bowl.

"We're done," Hinata smiles up at Joichiro, not quite believing how fast they finished their test. Joichiro smiled back and expertly carried the bowl to their professor. The rest of their classmates frantically finished their own after seeing they had presented first. Chapelle silently took the bowl and tasted their Bouillabaisse.

He was silent for a few moments, causing Hinata to panic again internally. "Magnifique," he whispered so low they almost couldn't hear him. Apparently, compliments from the professor don't come around a lot because his one-word praise just stunned the entire room into silence. Chapelle looked up at the Joichiro and Hinata and smiled. If his praise rendered everyone mute, his smile drove everyone nuts.

"But..but Professor Chapelle never smiles?!" They all said in various ways.

"Joichiro and Hinata, you get an A." He announced, still smiling.

"It wasn't much!" Joichiro shouts as he removes his apron. "Oi! We still have a battle, you know!" He shouts to the back, at their classmate who challenged them to a cook-off. "It's not going to be fun if you lose by not making it in time." Their classmate glares at them before returning to finish his work.

Pair by pair, the students offer their bowl of Bouillabaisse to Professor Chapelle for judgement. Turns out he is ruthless, losing the smile as soon as he tasted the dish of the pair after them. Soon, their rival handed their bowl over, glaring at them on the way. Tension once again filled the air as the four of them awaited Professor Chapelle's verdict.

"Hmmm…" The professor closed his eyes, deep in concentration. "I will also give you an A—" Their classmates are about to gloat but stopped when the professor raised his hand. "But…out of the two Bouillabaisses…" He opened his eyes and looked intently at their opponent. " _Their_ dish is clearly superior," he points to Hinata and Joichiro. "Yours was also delicious, but pales in comparison to their Bouillabaisse."

"Well, we win. I think you owe someone something, right?" Joichiro steps in front of their classmate.

He begrudgingly sinks down to his knees, looking down in defeat. "I'm sorry—"

"—Hinata Yukihira," she announced, taking a step to be in front of him and beside Joichiro. "My name is Hinata Yukihira."

He grinded his teeth in frustration, before relenting "I'm sorry, Hinata-san."

"You should really stop judging books by their cover. We may not be as rich as you lot, but we didn't get in here by accident. We got in here by taking the same entrance exam you took."

After giving them her piece of mind, something she's always wanted to do but never actually did, Hinata stormed out of the classroom. Joichiro runs out of the classroom to chase after her.

"Hey, Hinata-san! Wait up—!" Despite his shouting, Hinata kept on walking. Joichiro ran even faster to match her speed, dodging the rest of the class who were also leaving the building. _Man, for such a small girl, she sure walks fast._ Panting and slightly sweaty, Joichiro walked beside her. "You're awfully quiet," he noted. "What got into you?"

She stops dead in her tracks, still not looking up from the floor. "It's you, Saiba-kun."

"Me? What did I do? I kind of helped you out there," he said, pointing his thumb back at the classroom. "I think I deserve a thank you…or at least, I don't deserve this cryptic silent treatment." He mumbled the last part, not wanting to add more fuel to the flame.

Hinata sighs heavily and looks up at Joichiro. "I'm grateful for your help, I really am. But you can't keep saving me like this. I can handle it myself—"

"Wait—you can handle it?" He scoffs, looking around in disbelief. He steps closer to Hinata. "By the time I got into the classroom, they were all laughing at you, mocking you and—and pointing fingers!"

"Yeah and I've been through this before, okay? It's not a big deal for me. It doesn't affect me, alright? So, you should've just let—"

"Let what? Let them hurt you like that—?"

Hinata throws her hands up in the air in frustration. "It. Doesn't. Affect. Me. Okay? It. Doesn't. Hurt. Me—!"

"But it hurts _me_!" Joichiro shouts, his voice echoing throughout the now empty hallway. Hinata stares at him in surprise. "Don't you see? It affects _me_!" He whispers sharply. His golden eyes have turned into deep amber, his frustration etched deep in his face. He takes another step closer to Hinata. Their faces are now less than a foot apart. "Look, maybe for you it's okay to let them treat you like that. But it's physically impossible for me to watch them treat you that way." Joichiro sighs and shakes his head. Speechless, Hinata only continues to stare up at him. Their faces are so close, she could feel his breath on her face. _My heart is doing somersaults right now and I can barely breathe. What does this mean?_ "Listen, Hinata, you're…special to me. You're my _friend_." Hinata blinked, she could swear she just heard her heart break into a million pieces. "But okay, you don't want me to fight your battles for you, I understand that. So I won't do it anymore, okay?"

"Saiba-kun…" Hinata whispers as she continues to stare up at him.

"I'll uhm—I'll see you back at Polar Star later. I'm going to be late for my next class." Joichiro then turned around and walked away, one hand carrying his knives over his shoulder and the other buried in his pocket.

Hinata watched as his figure shrank and turned right. Soon, she was all alone in the hallway, struggling to keep her tears from flowing. Her guilt-ridden conscience is now ripping her to shreds in her mind. _It's true that he was just trying to help. He's just a nice guy; he would do that for anyone. And you just threw his kindness back into his face…all because you didn't want to look like such a damsel in distress in the first day of class._ "I mean, I had it under control," she whispers to herself as she walks down the empty hallway. _Sure, "under control," right. You could've just said thank you and that next time you can handle yourself. You know, kindly. The complete opposite of what you did earlier._ "Damn you, conscience." She grumbled as she headed for her next class.

At the end of her classes, Hinata passed by the market to buy some ingredients for a dish she wanted to try out. For a quick trip and a short shopping list, it took her quite some time because she was also coming up with the perfect apology to give to Joichiro. When she got back to Polar Star, the sun was already about to set. Absentmindedly, her legs took her halfway up the stairs before she remembered the bag of meat and vegetables in her hand.

Walking over to the kitchen, she made some final mental notes on her apology. But when she got to the kitchen, Joichiro was already there, cooking something in the stove. _I don't think he heard me coming, so I think I could still back away quietly and gather my thoughts before going back inside to apologize._ She slowly crept backwards, but Joichiro already turned around and saw her.

"Oh, Hinata-san—" She smiled awkwardly at him, standing still in her place. "What's that you have there?" He said, pointedly looking down at her grocery bag.

"Just ingredients for this dish I've been thinking of. I was just about to put them in the fridge…" Joichiro simply nodded and returned to his cooking. _Wait, is_ he _giving me the silent treatment this time?_

The tension piled up in the air as the two continued to ignore each other. Hinata walked over to the fridge to store her ingredients. When she was finished, she debated internally whether she should apologize now or practice in her room first. _You know what, this is ridiculous. I'm just going to do it._

"Saiba-kun—?" Hinata called out to Joichiro who was halfway across the kitchen, still stirring something in the pan. Although he made no noise or movement to acknowledge her, Hinata decided to continue anyway. "Okay, I know you can hear me 'cause we're the only ones here so I'm just—I'm sorry…for what I said earlier. It's just ever since we met, you've been helping me out with practically everything and it's not that I'm ungrateful or anything but it's just…I don't want to keep owing you one. I'll ask for your help when I need it, but I just can't help but feel that I may be taking advantage of you."

At her poor choice of words, Joichiro glanced up from his pan and felt heat rushing up to his face. Oblivious to her effect on him, she continued with her rambling apology. "You know, your kindness and our friendship. Do you understand what I mean? I want to help _you_ out too so that I wouldn't feel like such a damsel in distress whenever you help _me_ out with my problems."

Joichiro stayed silent for a few more seconds to calm down. He shut down the stove and let his dish cool in the pan. He turned around to face Hinata who turned out to be just a few feet away from him. "Okay, I get it. Stop rambling."

"Well is there anything you need help on?" She asked him expectantly.

"You know, I _do_ need help with _something_ …" He turns back around to inspect his dish, still hot in the pan.

"What is it? I'll do anything." Joichiro takes a spoon from the drawer and scoops up a spoonful of his latest experimental dish: sautéed liver with strawberry jam. He turned around to face Hinata, holding up the spoon in his hand. He almost couldn't bear to make her do it, what with her eager face looking up at him like that.

"I need you to taste my latest _experiment_." Hinata's face fell as her eyes wandered down from his eyes to the spoon he held in his hand. She looked on in horror as the strawberry jam was slowly oozing off the chicken liver.

Hinata gulped and shook her head violently, "Okay, Saiba-kun, I can't—"

"Oh, but you want to help me out with my problem, riiiight?" He sang out to her as she slowly backed away from the spoon that Joichiro is holding out to her. Hinata then ran away from Joichiro, who chased her around the kitchen, still managing to keep the dreadful dish intact in the spoon.

Meanwhile upstairs, the other residents of Polar Star are focused on their homework and testing out dishes in their mini kitchens. It was a pretty silent afternoon, the sun was about to set. Then out of nowhere they heard someone downstairs scream bloody murder. Heads popped out of the rooms, looking down the corridor at Gin Dojima who had just climbed up the stairs.

"Joichiro forced Hinata to taste his latest experimental dish," he explained simply as he headed for his room. Everyone shrugged and went back into their respective rooms, locking the doors behind them.

...

(So there's chapter 3. Hope you guys liked it! Please follow, favorite and leave comments. It really makes me happy when you do!)


	4. Chapter 4: Shokugeki

_So here's chapter 4!_  
 _Sorry it took a bit longer than usual, was busy these past few days._  
 _Thank you for all the comments, follows, and favorites!_  
 _They all mean so much to me!_

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Chapter 4: Shokugeki

 **May, 1995**

"Welcome, everyone to this year's Totsuki Friendship and Rapport Training Camp. This camp will test your creativity, tenacity, stamina, and above all, your skills as a chef. Last year, only half of the class made it out of the camp. This annual Totsuki event eliminates those who are not worthy of becoming a chef."

The headmaster, Senzaemon Nakiri, stands in front of the hundreds of first-year students, including Hinata, Joichiro, and Gin. His appearance alone was already intimidating and put everyone on edge the moment he arrived, but his speech absolutely made everyone nervous for their lives.

Even before the camp started, everyone was already panicking. Hinata didn't understand what the commotion was for because the pamphlet made it seem nice enough. Everyone at Polar Star then warned her that while the booklet with its cute title made this training camp seem like its all fun and games, the reality is far more sinister. After sharing nightmarish rumours about what happened in the past training camps, they all started calling it, "Training Camp from Hell."

"Your instructors and lecturers will be none other than the legendary alumni of Totsuki," Senzaemon continued. At his introduction, dozens of chefs walked onto the stage. They all have a certain aura to them; perhaps it comes with being a part of the 1% that graduated from this school. Both Hinata and Joichiro had no idea who they were, but everyone else was going out of their minds.

One of the alumni spoke up, "During this week, we will consider you as one of our employees. If at any point, you fail to meet our expectations, you will be fired. Meaning, of course, that you will be expelled and sent home immediately. Make one wrong move and you're out of Totsuki for good."

Panic ensued as everyone stared at the fearsome group of legendary chefs on stage. The headmaster then concluded the introductions, saying "You may now go to your assigned groups to begin the examinations. Good luck."

With that, everyone dispersed accordingly. Joichiro and Hinata walk out of the hall, belonging to the same group. While Hinata was silent, processing just how serious this camp is, Joichiro was the opposite.

"Hey, Hinata," Joichiro whispered, nudging her with his elbow. "Do you think one of those famous chefs will agree to have a shokugeki with me?"

Hinata rolls her eyes at him. "I know you're currently on a win streak right now when it comes to shokugekis, but that's just insane. Even if they accept your challenge, if you lose, you will be expelled from Totsuki. Just stick to challenging upperclassmen for now, okay, big guy?"

Joichiro sighs. "Fine. It's getting boring though. I just can't seem to lose to anyone." Hinata rolls her eyes again, prompting him to laugh.

Even though he's joking, he isn't actually lying. Having watched almost all of his matches, Hinata knows that Joichiro hasn't lost to anyone. Even watching him during the battle is disconcerting. His opponents, no matter how older they are, are sweating buckets and all riled up to beat him. Joichiro, on the other hand, looks like he's just having the time of his life.

 **Two Weeks Ago**

It's been weeks since the academic year started. Hinata never missed a class and since the incident on the first day, her classmates never bullied her again. Some of them even became her friends. Of course, word spread right away around campus that one particular transfer student is making waves. Joichiro wasn't exactly subtle about his plan to take the First Seat.

Ever since he found out about the Elite Ten when Fumio-san mentioned it, he's been itching to battle for a seat. Since it's impossible to go after them right away, he's been slowly building up his reputation by battling students left and right—freshman, upperclassmen, what-have-you. As soon as they mention the word "shokugeki," Joichiro automatically agreed.

He barely attended some of his classes. Sometimes he arrived late, to the dismay of the professor, but even with barely any time left he finished the required dish…and passed with flying colours. It's almost unfair. Some might even think he's intentionally doing it to bait curious, egotistical upperclassmen into battling with him.

One morning, Hinata entered Practical Lab 2 for her Western Cuisine and the rest of the class was already there. _Joichiro is supposed to be here. Where the hell is he again? Oh, there's Gin._ She walked over to Gin who had an empty counter in front of him.

"Do you know where Joichiro is, Dojima-kun?" She asked while preparing her knives. Gin looked up at her and laughed lightly while shaking his head.

"He's preparing for a shokugeki in…15 minutes," he explained, glancing at his watch to check the time.

"What? That's his third battle this week. He's almost never in his classes anymore."

Gin only shrugged. "I'm sure he'll be okay, Hinata-san," he reassured her, throwing a smile her way for good measure. Of course, it doesn't seem to be working. Even though Hinata stopped talking about it, she is still frowning, her eyebrows furrowed together in deep concentration. Although something tells Gin her mind is far away from her knives and is focusing on a certain someone instead.

"Okay, class," Professor Smith announced as he walked in. "Today you have to make use of the Norwegian salmon to prepare your dish. You have one hour. Begin."

Everyone raced to finish their dishes on time. With the extra motivation of wanting to watch Joichiro's match, Hinata focuses deeply on finishing her dish as quickly as possible. She was the first to finish in the class and walked over to their professor to have her plate assessed.

"Hmmm…you get an A. You may leave." Hinata nods and ran out of the classroom, bewildering the rest of her classmates. Gin only smirked, knowing full well where Hinata is going.

Hinata arrived just in time and took a seat in the front row. The shokugeki was well underway. Joichiro's opponent, an upperclassman going by the whispers in the audience, is already presenting his dish to the judges. They commend the intricate use of herbs present in his plate.

Soon after their deliberation for the first dish finished, Joichiro presented his dish to the judges. After praising the aesthetic presentation, they took a bite.

"Such deep, immense flavour!" One of the judges shouted before taking another bite.

"The taste of kabocha squash is overwhelming but it doesn't overpower the refreshing taste of the halibut," the judge to his right noted.

"This intricate balancing of flavours…you wouldn't expect it from a freshman." The last of the three judges commented, staring at the dish in disbelief.

"Go, Saiba-senpai!" Out of nowhere, the group of girls surrounding Hinata all stood up and cheered. Holding banners, they all fawned over Joichiro, who only smiled stupidly up at them. Naturally, they all screamed harder when he smiled. Hinata remained sitting, still recovering from the initial shock. _I was too focused on making it here in time; I didn't even notice their banners that had Joichiro's face plastered all over._

"The winner is obvious. It is Joichiro Saiba!" One of the judges announced and the whole hall erupted into cheers.

"It wasn't much!" Joichiro shouts as he removed his apron. The final score is revealed on screen: 0 – 3, proclaiming him as the winner of the shokugeki. Afterwards, most of the audience had already dispersed, save for the fan club surrounding Hinata and a bunch of upperclassmen.

Joichiro walks over to his counter and prepares another serving of his winning dish. He walks over to the bleachers, where Hinata was just about to leave. Of course, the fan club behind her was beside themselves, thinking he was about to greet them.

"Oi, Hinata-san! Come down here and taste my dish before you leave, eh?" Hinata froze in her place, staring at Joichiro who held up the plate in her direction. _I could practically feel his entire fan club stabbing me in their minds._ She gulped and made her way down to the arena, ignoring the whispers of the fangirls. "Here, try it," he said, handing over the dish. "So, how was Western Cuisine?"

"Why would you care? You barely attend it," she sniped before taking a bite of his cooking. _The judges were right. Of course, it was breathtakingly delicious._ Hinata closed her eyes for a brief moment, allowing the exquisite flavour of the dish to take over her. _Oh right, I'm pissed at him for not taking his classes seriously,_ she thought, immediately returning to her stern façade.

"Okay, that hurts," he said, feigning sadness. Hinata raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, fine, it's only fair," he relented, smirking at her before laughing. "What's got your knickers in a twist?"

"Your fan club over there," Hinata jerked her head over to the gaggle of fangirls behind her, still shooting daggers with their imagination. "They want my head on a plate." She put down the empty plate on the counter.

Joichiro laughed out loud, "Well, I can't help it if they find me irresistible." Hinata rolled her eyes at him, which only made him laugh harder. "Just ignore them," he grabbed his knives and threw them over his shoulder. He then walked over to Hinata and threw his free arm around her shoulders as they walked out of the arena. "Why, are you jealous?" he asked mockingly, as he squeezed her shoulders.

"Why in the world would _I_ be jealous?" Hinata countered, pushing him away from her. Joichiro's loud laughter filled the hall until they exited the building.

 **May, 1995**

"Oi, Gin!" Joichiro ran to catch up to Dojima who was a few feet ahead of them. "I have an idea. Let's have a shokugeki during camp!"

Gin only shook his head at his crazy idea. "We're already under a ton of pressure in this camp, Joichiro. I don't think a shokugeki is such a nice plan."

"Pfft. You're just scared of losing to me again. What is our current tally again? 11-0, is it?"

"Hey! I'm not scared of you, okay?" Gin and Joichiro went ahead of Hinata, who was yet again deep in thought about how she might be expelled from Totsuki if she didn't do her best. Joichiro continued to pester Gin, who was slowly getting annoyed with him.

 **One Week Ago**

It didn't take long before Joichiro Saiba and Gin Dojima battled each other in a shokugeki. They've had a few unofficial matches before within the Polar Star dormitory, which, as Joichiro emphasizes, are counted because he won most of them. However, this time they'd taken their fight to a whole new level. It was an official shokugeki.

Their conditions were actually ridiculous, most of the school thought it was a lie. If Joichiro won, Gin would taste test any and all of his dishes, including his experimental ones, for a month. But if Gin won, he will never, under any circumstances, taste any of Joichiro's experimental dishes. Of course, only the people in Polar Star dormitory were aware of his proclivity for creating horrible dishes, which were under the guise of "experimental dishes."

For the residents of Polar Star, Gin's condition made absolute sense. But for the other students of Totsuki, they didn't quite understand why anyone would go to such lengths to never taste someone's experimental dishes forever. This was especially confusing for the girls in Joichiro's fan club. They'd kill anyone to get the opportunity to taste his dishes.

It was a tense match. Both Gin and Joichiro presented dishes that were far beyond their years. The judges were split in their decision, but in the end, Joichiro won. It wasn't a clear win for him, though, since the score ended up being 2-1. Of course, this decision sparked further debate amongst the judges but each was resolved in their decision. It was all much ado about nothing though because Joichiro still held more votes over Gin.

"Looks like you're my official taste tester for this month, eh, Gin?" Joichiro teased.

Still seething, Gin could only say, "I'll get you next time for this, Joichiro."

"Whatever you say, Gin. We're now 10-0, eh? It's no fun if I'm always winning!" He teased him further as they exited the arena.

 **May 1995**

Gin eventually went his own way, rejoicing at the fact that he's not in the same group as Joichiro. If they were together, Joichiro would just pester Gin throughout camp. For such a calm, composed guy, Gin just couldn't put a lid on his anger when it comes to Joichiro. Hinata can't say he blames him. The free-spirited _baka_ just has a way of getting in everyone's nerves. Well, everyone but the underclassmen. Save for Jun, the underclassmen in Polar Star all idolize Joichiro, especially Azami.

"Oi, Hinata! Don't leave me behind!" Speaking of the devil, he was lagging behind the group because he was too busy annoying the hell out of Gin. He ran to catch up with them. "What do you think our first test will be, huh? I hope it's difficult and really challenging…" Joichiro has that evil glint in his eyes again, expecting a really strenuous task ahead. Meanwhile, Hinata continues to panic internally as they walk inside the hall where their first exam will be held.

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 _So there's chapter 4. Hope you guys like it!_  
 _Please comment, follow, and favorite!_


	5. Chapter 5: Camp From Hell

_Thank you all so much for the follows, favorites, and comments!_

 _They all mean so much to me, seriously!_

 _*ugly crying*_

 _Anyway here's chapter 5! Hope you guys like this one!_

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Chapter 5: Camp From Hell Part 1

 **May, 1995**

For their first test in camp, their instructor was none other than Natsumi Takahashi, the head chef of Tokyo 100. Tokyo 100 is famous all over Japan as the first-class restaurant found in the top deck of the Tokyo Tower in Shibakoen, Minato. Because of the limited space, only 20 customers can be seated at a time. Rumour has it that their reservations are full for the next three years.

She sat in front of the room, her hands calmly folded on her lap. Despite her calm presence, everyone else was on edge, waiting for her instructions. She kept staring out of the window, deep in thought.

"Sakura," she said, leaving the entire class to stare at her in confusion. "Your dish should have sakura."

Everyone, of course, had questions because, at that point of the year, cherry blossoms are already out of season in Tokyo. "Sakura as in the flower?" Someone in the back dared to ask.

"The leaf, the flower, the design…anything, really," she said, shrugging. "If your dish captures the essence of cherry blossoms and is, of course, delicious, then you will pass. You can buy ingredients out of the grounds, as long as you make it back in time to cook and serve your dish. You have three hours."

Then as if she didn't present an impossible task to the class, she went back to staring out the window. Half of the class immediately ran out of the classroom, hoping to catch a bus to the city centre. The first half included Hinata and Joichiro, who actually pulled Hinata right away after Natsumi was done speaking. Breathing heavily, they stepped onto the bus which left right away. Glancing out of the window, they could see their other classmates who had just arrived at the bus stop, screaming at the bus.

"Hmmm…so what are we going to make?" Joichiro pondered as the bus sped past trees. Hinata only stared at him in shock.

"So you mean you dragged me out into the city without any idea what we're going to buy?" She sharply whispered, not wanting the other pairs to overhear their plan…or lack of one.

"Yeah…" He answered absent-mindedly, his mind still focusing on what to make. Hinata sighed. _It's pointless to argue with him. I'll just make use of this time to think as well._

Recalling one of their recipes at Yukihira diner, Hinata suddenly had an idea. _Sakura Ebi._ "Joichiro," she whispered. "Nani?" As she looked over to him, he was already fast asleep. With his mouth wide open and some drool escaping his lips, he didn't look at all concerned with their current test.

 _We're definitely going to fail if he's going to continue being like this the entire camp. Nevermind making it through this camp, we might not even pass the first test if he's like this!_ Enraged, Hinata was just about to smack the living hell out of him, if it weren't that the bus stopped immediately. Her palm is literally only a few inches away from his face, still shaking from rage.

"Huh? We're already here?" Joichiro mumbled as he stirs awake, not noticing the livid Hinata whose palm is still awfully close to his cheek. He then glanced over to Hinata and finally noticed her hand. "Oi, Hinata, you okay?"

"I hope you slept well," she said sarcastically, still pissed. Sighing, she tries her best to calm down. "I thought we were supposed to be brainstorming, but lo and behold, I look at you and you're sleeping?!" She shouted at him as they got out of the bus.

Joichiro only laughed and scratched his head, infuriating Hinata even more. "You have to calm down, Hinata. Don't worry, I know what we're going to make—"

"I was actually thinking we can make Sakura Ebi Kakiage with Reishi and Cordyceps Soba Noodles Soup. The soba soup is energizing and the refreshing taste of the sakura kakiage makes it a perfect accompaniment. Unless you have a better idea?" Joichiro stares at her. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

He blinks, unsure why he's been staring. "No, let's go with your idea. What do you need me to do?" Joichiro said, rolling up his sleeves. He listened carefully as she listed out the ingredients needed. They agreed that it would be faster to shop separately and meet again in half an hour. With every detail discussed, they went their separate ways.

As he ran through the shops in search of the ingredients they need, he thought hard as to why he was so shocked earlier. _It's not like I was shocked in a bad way. It was a pleasant surprise._ He stopped at one of the stalls in the market, assessing their sakura shrimp. _Yeah, but why were you surprised?_ His conscience nagged him. _I guess all this time I've been taking charge whenever we're paired together. I've never given her a chance to shine…which is stupid of me._

After paying for the shrimp, he sped off to search for the rest on his list. _Obviously, she's a great chef but I've just been too caught up on myself and my cooking that I never noticed I've been treating her like a sous chef all this time. You baka!_ He reprimanded himself while searching for vegetables. _You have to make it up to her. This time, she's in charge. You're the sous chef._

Half an hour later, Joichiro was running late. After paying for the last ingredient in his list, he ran as fast as he could to make it to the bus station. As he got close, he could already see Hinata there, carrying bags filled with ingredients. "Sorry, I'm late. I got everything," he said, panting.

"Good, I got everything too. Don't worry, you're just in time, the bus should be here any minute." Hinata said, smiling. _At least, she's much calmer now,_ Joichiro noted.

Ten minutes later, Hinata started to worry when the bus still hasn't arrived. "Did we miss the bus?" she said, panicking. She walked over to the nearest stall and asked if the bus will arrive soon.

"The bus? It left fifteen minutes ago. Just before you got to the stop, actually." The woman in the stall said. "The next one will be here in half an hour."

"I see, thank you." She calmly said before walking back to where Joichiro was inspecting the bus schedule, perching his head on his fist.

"Hmmm…it says here the next bus will get here in thirty minutes—"

"Yes, I know!" Hinata shouted, clearly panicking. Her calm façade was gone just as fast as he put it on. "But we can't wait that long! Totsuki Resort is only fifteen minutes away from here by car, but it's too far for us to walk. By the time we get there, we won't have enough time to make the soba noodles and we'll fail—Joichiro?!" She barely noticed him leave while she was panicking. "Where the hell are—"

Turning around, she finally saw Joichiro, who is currently in the middle of some sort of bargain with another stall owner. Hinata watched curiously in the distance, wondering what he's planning. They exchanged a few more words and shook hands. Then the man handed over a bunch of keys to Joichiro. He then walked over to the nearby motorcycle and put the keys in the ignition. _I hope he's not planning on making us ride that…?_ Hinata thought, watching Joichiro silently as he perched the motorcycle.

"Oi, Hinata! Come on, we have to get back to the resort!" He shouted, adjusting his seat on the bike. With one big gulp and a deep breath, Hinata walks over and straddles the bike. "Well, you have to wrap your arms around me if you don't want to fall off," Joichiro said as he kicks the kickstand behind his left foot.

"Uhm…okay," Hinata mumbles. A little hesitant, she places her hands on his shoulders instead. Joichiro sighs, grabbing her hands from his shoulders and wrapping them around his torso. Hinata squeaked as this forced her body to be much closer to his than earlier.

"Look, we have to get back to the resort in one piece. Aside from that, if we're going to make it in time, we need to ride fast. So keep your arms wrapped around me, okay?" Joichiro said, still holding her arms in place. Hinata nodded.

Joichiro started the bike up, which vibrated underneath them in response. "Alright, let's go!" He screams just as the bike speeds out of the parking lot. They go from zero to sixty in a heartbeat. Or at least that's how fast they were going in Hinata's mind as she squealed, wrapping her arms tighter around Joichiro as she closed her eyes.

The wind is harsh on Joichiro's face as they sped past the trees on the highway. He laughs as he heard Hinata squeal and felt her hold tighten. It became a little harder to breathe with her death grip around him. But he doesn't mind. Their bodies were pressed against each other, so close that he could feel her breathing down his back. _If only there isn't a test for us to go back to,_ Joichiro mused. _I wish we had more time to ride around_.

Meanwhile, Hinata was no longer panicking about their test and is more worried about making it to the resort alive. _Although it seems I have nothing to worry about, it looks like Joichiro knows what he's doing,_ she muses, as she looked up from where she buried herself in his back. She took a peek at him over his shoulders. Joichiro had his eyes glued to the road as he expertly manoeuvred the clutch and throttle.

Relaxing a little, Hinata decided to loosen her grip and watch as they sped past cars. _If only we don't have an exam, this might actually be a fun trip,_ Hinata thought, smiling. Then her eyes travelled down from the road to their bags of ingredients, hanging precariously on the bike handles. She gulped, hoping their ingredients aren't destroyed on the way.

She took a deep breath to calm herself down. Hinata stopped mid-exhale. Aside from the fresh spring air, another scent overwhelmed her. It was now lingering in her nose, the scent of citrus mixed with sandalwood. The crisp, warm, and earthy scent is completely addictive. Hinata closed her eyes to appreciate the aroma even more, unintentionally leaning her head on Joichiro's shoulder.

"Hey, Hinata! We're almost there!" Joichiro shouts, his voice struggling against the wind. Hinata opens her eyes and abruptly straightens up. _Damn it, how did I lose my composure like that?_ Hinata screams at herself internally. Joichiro smirks. He noticed when she leaned against his shoulder. But he decided not to say anything about it, quite liking the feeling.

Two minutes later, they were already inside the resort. They arrived in record speed. It only took them ten minutes. But because of the ten-minute setback they already experienced waiting for the bus; they were still a bit behind the rest of the group. _We have less than two hours left. This is going to be a tight schedule_ , Hinata thought as they ran to the hall.

Without even resting for a second, they immediately washed their hands and went straight into preparation. Joichiro is in charge of the Sakura Shrimp Kakiage, while Hinata is working on the Soba Noodle Soup. But since the preparation and cooking of the kakiage will be faster, he decided to help Hinata with the soba noodles.

Joichiro expertly mixes the buckwheat flour, wheat flour, and water. Keeping up with his speed, Hinata heats up the kombu and water in a pot. While waiting for it to simmer, she slices the leeks, carrots, garlic, and radishes. After the kombu simmers in the water, she removes the kombu and pours the vegetables inside. After it boils, the vegetables simmer for twenty minutes.

At this point, Joichiro starts to cut up the soba noodle dough. Hinata then adds the reishi, cordyceps, and dulse, which will steep for ten minutes. While Joichiro cooks the soba noodles, she pickles the onion and rehydrates the wakame. He lightly rinsed the cooked soba noodles as she strains the soup through cheesecloth. After pouring the soup back into the pot, she adds the seasoning to the soup.

Now that the soba noodles are cooked, Joichiro went on to make the Sakura Shrimp Kakiage. Hinata pours the soup into the bowl of soba noodles and then tops it with pickled onions, wakame, and snapdragons. After the kakiage is done, they immediately served their dish to Chef Takahashi.

"Ahh, you chose the sakura shrimp. Let's hope you cooked it well and it matches this soba noodles soup." The instructor slurped the soba noodles and soup before taking a bite into the kakiage. "I see. The energy and vitality of spring are captured perfectly in the soba noodles soup, while the refreshing taste of the sakura shrimp kakiage balances the vigour of the soup. This is a well-crafted dish, I am impressed."

She takes another sip of the soup and pauses. "Hmmm...reishi and cordyceps. This isn't easy to find around here. How did you get this?"

"I brought them with me, chef," Hinata answers, bringing out jars full of powdered reishi and cordyceps. "They help with fatigue and stress. I figured we'd need it for this training camp."

"Yes…I'm well aware," Chef Takahashi continues to stare at Hinata, who fidgets with her jars after a few more seconds of silence. "But this isn't the only reason why you drink this, isn't it?"

Hinata blinks. Joichiro looks over at her, wondering if there's something he missed. "Yes, chef…cancer runs in our family." The chef in front of them hummed while staring at the bowl in her lap.

"And this isn't the first time you've made this soup…" She continued, still staring at the soba soup. At this point, Joichiro was looking back and forth at Hinata and their instructor. _What is going on?_

"No, chef," Hinata answered, obviously not in the mood to explain herself further. The chef hummed again. "If it's okay, chef, I'd rather not talk about it anymore." Joichiro stared at Hinata, worried.

"I understand," she finally looked up at them. "Well, in any case, you both pass."

"It wasn't much!" Joichiro shouts while removing his apron.

"Thank you, Chef Takahashi." Hinata said, before hastily turning around to leave.

After changing back into their uniform, they leave the hall. Since there was still around twenty minutes left before all the freshmen had to gather in the hall, they had time to rest. Hinata spotted a bench right outside the hall and rushed over to sit, while Joichiro looked around the resort before sitting down beside her.

"Man, we almost didn't make it back there, huh?" Joichiro said, chuckling. He glanced over at Hinata, who was sitting with her eyes closed. "Hey, you okay? What was going on back there?"

"I'm okay. I just don't want to talk about it, plus I'm really—" Hinata mumbles before yawning. "…tired." Her eyes flutter to a close again.

"We still have a few minutes; you can take a quick nap." Joichiro slides closer. "You can lean on m—" Before he could even continue, Hinata already leans her head on his shoulder, still fast asleep.

Joichiro chuckled. The next twenty minutes are the calm before the storm. _No doubt we'll be tasked to do another challenge when we're all gathered in Hall A. Guess this camp really is a camp from hell._ With barely anything to do because of his current situation, Joichiro decided to think of new recipes as a way to pass time.

Naturally, time flew ridiculously fast. Their fellow groupmates have already left the hall during the past few minutes, already finished with Chef Takahashi's challenge. Of course, a few left looking sombre, some even looked downright depressed. _I guess they didn't make it through._

Joichiro glanced at his watch, noticing they only have five minutes before they need to gather in Hall A. Hinata was still asleep in his shoulder. She has been so still the past twenty minutes, Joichiro wanted to check a few times if she was still breathing. He didn't do anything, of course. The moment he thought of doing something, he could already feel her breath on his jacket. Plus there's the unmistakable pool of drool that he's going to have to wipe off when she wakes up.

"Hinata-san," Joichiro said, shrugging his shoulder lightly to wake her. "We need to go to the assembly." Hinata then mumbled something inaudible and then returned to her deep sleep. "How the—" Joichiro shook her shoulder, a little more forceful this time. "Hinata, wake up."

"What…?" She mumbled again, her eyes slowly fluttering open. "Saiba-kun…?" She mumbled again as she finally came to her senses. "Oh—!" She straightened up in a heartbeat, realizing what she'd been doing…or rather _where_ she'd been napping. "I-I'm really sorry. That was inappropriate. We should-uhm, we should probably head over to the assembly." Hinata stood up right away and smoothened down her skirt.

"Don't sweat it," Joichiro chuckled. "Although you _did_ drool on my jacket—"

"What?!" Hinata spun around, reaching into her pocket to grab her handkerchief. "I'm really sorry—" She rushes over to where he's sitting, frantically wiping said drool off.

Laughing, Joichiro pulls her hands away from his jacket. "Hey, come on now, it's no big deal. Anyway, we're going to be late if we don't leave now!"

"I'll just wash your jacket later, okay?" Hinata shouts after Joichiro who's running ahead of her.

All of the students gather in the main hall. The pin-drop silence that greeted them was disconcerting. Of course, it wouldn't last long now that they're here.

"Hey, Gin!" Joichiro shouts, his voice heard all over the hall. Everyone turns to glare at him, but he doesn't even notice as he walks over to Gin who is visibly annoyed again. "How'd you do in the first test?"

"You really are unbelievable, Joichiro," Gin said, shaking his head.

"What'd I do? I was just—"

"Silence," a chef onstage said. Once again, the hall was silent. His commanding presence had shut everyone up, including Joichiro. "This isn't time for games and foolishness. If you think you're about to rest, well, think again."

The doors to the right of the hall open, revealing a bunch of people. They were of various ages, race, and gender. At first, they didn't look noteworthy or famous, until—

"Hey! Tha—that's Daryl Beattie!" One of the students pointed out. Slowly, the rest began to recognize the other members of the nameless crowd. "And there's Takuma Aoki of Honda!"

Hinata tapped one of the nearby students on the shoulders, "Who are they?" He merely shrugged.

"They are the competitors, crew, organizers, and staff of the Japanese Marlboro Grand Prix. They have been staying here for the past few days. Before they leave tomorrow for Spain, you shall be serving them dinner. Each of you will cook 50 servings of a Tonkatsu Set Meal. If you don't finish within one hour, you shall be expelled immediately."

"50 servings?!" Most of the students panicked as they rushed to change into their cooking uniform.

Joichiro and Hinata only looked at each other as they exited the changing rooms. "Looks like this'll be easy, eh?" He said, nudging Hinata.

"Yeah, unless you want to make it interesting?" She said, smirking up at him as they walked to the next hall with the kitchen counters and hungry customers.

Surprised, Joichiro raised his eyebrows at her. "Well, what do you have in mind?"

"Who finishes with the 50 servings, wins?" Hinata asked, tying her hair up.

"Deal. What's the prize?" He asks, wrapping his apron around his hips.

"How about we let whoever wins decide that?" Hinata moves over to the counter next to his, inspecting the pans and instruments.

"Anything, huh?" Joichiro smirked at Hinata who simply looked at him with her deep brown eyes, unmoved by his cheap intimidation.

"Anything." She said. They stare each other down for a second longer.

"You all have one hour, which starts now!" Chef Yamamoto shouts and the whole hall erupts into chaos.

Throughout the hall, it is like a battlefield. In the heat of the moment, some students get into fights, while others are on the verge of tears. It is even rumoured that someone fainted and had to be hauled out of the hall. It wasn't clear whether he or she passed or was sent straight home. And yet in the midst of all the madness, Joichiro and Hinata have their own wager on the line.

"Before I forget," Chef Yamamoto announces to the hall. "Afterwards, you are to cook your own dinner, breakfast, and lunch. Proceed."

"What?!" Everyone shouts before resuming their work. Some of the students who were about to cry are now sobbing. _This really is a camp from hell. After this, we have to cook our own meals?!_ Hinata thought, about to break down herself. _No, Hinata, focus. You can't lose to—_

"Joichiro Saiba, you pass!" Chef Yamamoto announces, causing the entire hall to gawk at him.

"It wasn't much!" He shouts, removing his apron. He smirks at Hinata who rushes her last two servings.

"Hinata Yukihira, you pass!" The instructor announces. Some stare at her as she walks past them, but she's too busy glaring at Joichiro while on her way back to her station.

"So I guess I win, huh?" Joichiro teases her as they walk out of the hall. Hinata glares at the floor, not paying any attention to him. "Hmmm…let's see, what can be my prize huh? Oh, I know! For starters—"

Hinata jerks to a stop at his words. "Did you just say 'for starters'?"

"Yeah, well, we didn't exactly specify the details…" he mutters as if in deep thought.

Hinata throws her hands up in frustration. "I know, but obviously I can't be your slave forever!"

"I'm just saying it's not my fault you didn't specify the—" Hinata glares at him. Joichiro laughs, "Fine, fine. How about you cook my meals for the next few days?"

"Okay, that's reasonable," Hinata walks to the nearest practice kitchen.

Joichiro trails behind her. "You're not going to poison me, are you?"

"I'd be lying if I say it hasn't crossed my mind," she said, pushing the kitchen door open.

Joichiro laughs. "You can be funny sometimes, Hinata…" He trails off into silence when Hinata doesn't reply as she turns on the stove. "You're joking, right…? Right?!...I'll just shut up."

"That would be wise," Hinata says frostily. Joichiro smirks as he watches her cook.

* * *

 _There you have it! That's Chapter 5!_

 _I really hope you guys like it. Please tell me if there's something I need to change or if you have any constructive criticism, please leave a comment!_

 _I wouldn't wanna continue if no one's going to read it of course :(_

 _So yeah, please please follow, favorite, and comment!_


	6. Chapter 6: Be Gentle

_I am so sorry for this late update! It's been a crazy week._

 _Don't know if y'all noticed but anyway, I changed Chapter 5 from Camp From Hell Part 1 to just Camp From Hell. Also I removed Soma/Erina from the tags, as jslee102 pointed out that I don't have a lot of Sorina moments. I had no idea, I'm really sorry about this, rookie mistake hehe forgive me_

 _They'll still be in the story every now and then, but since they won't be as prominent as Hinata and Joichiro, I decided to take the tags out._

 _Also names mentioned in this story are fictional._

 _Thank you so so so much for all the follows, favorites, and reviews! They all mean so much to me. :((_

 _I hope you guys like this chapter!_

* * *

Chapter 6: Be Gentle

 **2025**

Joichiro's phone rings in his pocket as he takes a seat in front of the ramen stall. "I'll have the usual, Iwata-san." The chef nods at Joichiro with a smile, recognizing him instantly as he sat down. Joichiro grabs his phone, still ringing in his pants. "Oi, Soma?"

"Hey, dad, I need help with something…" Soma's voice trails off as it gets drowned by the sound of traffic. "What was that soup mom always made when we were sick?"

"Astragalus and miso soup. Just simmer the vegetable broth with black pepper and thirty grams of astragalus root for—" Iwata serves the bowl of ramen in front of Joichiro who thanks him with a smile.

"Half an hour then add the miso. I remember it now."

"Oh, and don't forget—"

"Yeah, strain the roots afterwards." Joichiro nodded, taking a sip of the ramen. "I'm a chef now, dad, remember?" Soma teases, Joichiro smirks. "Maybe I'm even better than you now, eh?"

"812–8, Soma. 812–8," Joichiro teases him back. Soma laughs, faintly honks of passing cars can be heard on the other end of the call.

"I'll catch up with you someday, old man."

"Yeah, I'm sure you will," Joichiro says, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The boy on the other line protests jokingly. "But seriously, Soma. If you're cooking for someone who's sick, just…be gentle."

"…What do you mean?" Soma asks, a bit breathless.

"You said you're better than me, go figure it out." Joichiro taunts him.

"You're unbelievable, dad," Soma says, chuckling. Erina's voice can be faintly heard in the background. "Yeah, but can you call Hisako for me? It's for one of the ingredients," faintly Soma answers Erina. "Dad, I have to go. Thanks for the recipe."

"Yeah, yeah. Thank your mom…and visit her once in a while, alright?"

"I'll bring Erina when she gets better," Soma answers. "Anyway, I'll call you soon. Bye, dad."

He hangs up the call and continues eating the ramen. After paying, Joichiro walks back into the cemetery, chuckling at the memory of when he first had a taste of that soup.

* * *

 **1995**

It's the last day of the training camp. Each group is supposed to gather at an assigned hall, which is fully equipped with kitchen stations for the final test. At the very back of the hall, there is a long table where ten alumni sit. Like a firing squad, intent on shooting the students to their death, their intimidating aura envelopes the entire hall. At this point, nearly half of their generation is already expelled.

"Everyone knows the instructions for this exam and you were divided and assigned to one alumnus. Each of you has one hour to make the best Japanese dish, using seasonal ingredients. You may begin!"

As if someone un-muted a television screen, the entire venue is suddenly full of noise. All of the students rush to prepare and cook their final dish, the one which will determine their future in Totsuki. Half an hour later, not a single student has come forward to pass their dish. Unsurprisingly, Joichiro is the first to finish out of the more than a hundred students in Hall A. He walks up to Chef Fukuhara, quietly serving his dish.

After taking a bite of his dish, the chef chuckles, causing everyone to watch. "This is definitely not what I expect from a student…" The tension in the room is almost palpable. Hinata stares at Joichiro, who doesn't seem at all fazed by his comments. "It's like a professional's dish," Joichiro grins. "You pass."

"It wasn't much!" Joichiro shouts, his usual ritual now familiar to most of the students.

Pressured by the high standard Joichiro set, everyone quickly resumed their cooking. The noise doubled, with some of the students panicking out loud. A few students came forward after a few minutes, but unfortunately, not all of them passed. Ten minutes later, Hinata came forward with her dish and presented it to Chef Seno. He took a bite and sighed.

"This is exactly what I need after eating ten dishes," He looks up at Hinata knowingly. "Your care for your customers is admirable. You pass."

"Thank you, Chef Seno," Hinata said, bowing a bit before walking away.

After the final test, students may return to their rooms and sleep. The announcement for the final exam was made after dinner last night and almost everyone pulled off all-nighters, testing various dishes and ingredients. Hinata walked up to her room, which she shares with some of the Polar Star girls. When she gets to the room, it was still empty.

"Well, at least I get some peace and quiet," she said, immediately lying down on the bed to sleep. Someone enters the room. _Maybe it's Rikku or Akiko_ , she thinks, keeping her eyes closed.

"Oi, Hinata!" A familiar voice shouts, Hinata groans. "Let's play cards!" Joichiro shouts as he sits on the bed, causing it to shake a bit.

Hinata glares at him. "I just want to sleep, Saiba-kun."

"Oh come on, there's no one else here!" He complained. Hinata groaned one last time before sitting up. "Alright!" Joichiro distributes the cards right away.

Moments later, the rest of the Polar Star residents burst through the doors and they all play cards…for a few minutes until they all collapse from exhaustion. The hours passed by extremely fast; it seemed they only slept for a few minutes before they were all called to gather again downstairs for the final phase of the training camp.

All of the alumni stand in front of the students, most of which have already rested for a few hours during the break. Chef Ishida grabs the microphone to announce the final phase of the training camp.

"Everyone, congratulations for making it this far. Now we will announce the final phase of the training camp…" All of the students looked up at him expectantly. "A full course dinner prepared by the Totsuki alumni." Collectively, they all exhaled in relief and cheered. "Please proceed to Hall B for the dinner."

* * *

Days after the gruesome training camp, the freshmen gather in the open space for the announcement of this year's Autumn Election. A giant board covered in cloth looms over all of the eager students. As three o'clock nears, more and more students arrive. Moments later, exactly right on schedule, the cloth falls to reveal the names included in Hall A and B.

"I can't believe it," Hinata whispers, as she reads her name again and again.

"Oi, Hinata! You got in too, huh?" Joichiro shouts, shocking her out of her disbelief. "We're both in Hall A, looks like you're my competition." He continues, before diverting his attention to Gin. "Too bad you're not in Hall A, Gin. I guess I'll battle with you in the finals, eh?"

Gin laughs. "Make sure you make it to the finals first, Joichiro."

"Tell that to yourself, you fool!" Joichiro jokes, Gin just laughs. "You seem to be in a good mood," He notes. "Are things going great with Ayame?" He playfully elbows Gin, who just plays along with a smile.

"Ayame Kanda?" Hinata asks, joining the conversation. "She's nice; you two would look cute together."

"Eh, see? Even Hinata can sense something's going on with you," Joichiro continues to tease Gin who just shakes his head in response.

"She doesn't see me like that, okay? More importantly, we don't have time for this. We're about to compete in the Autumn Elections!"

"Whatever, Gin, segue all you want—"

"I'm serious—!" Gin protests.

"Yeah, yeah. Sure. Anyway, I wonder what the topic for the preliminaries will be."

"Hello, everyone! I am your trusted MC, Ayame Kanda!" Ayame Kanda stands onstage in front of the Autumn Elections board. Some of the boys in the crowd cheer for her. "Congratulations to those who made it to the preliminary selection! Out of the 30 students in each block, only the top 4 from each group will make it to the next round of eliminations…"

"There's your girlfriend, Gin," Joichiro teases, nudging Gin again who shrugs him off, smirking.

"The finals will consist of three rounds of battles until the last two participants remain for the final battle!" Ayame announces, the crowd goes wild with excitement. "Good luck, everybody! See you at the Autumn Elections!"

The crowd disperses right after. Gin falls behind to talk to Ayame who walked up to them after her announcement. Joichiro and Hinata walk back to Polar Star together.

"So, will you head back home for the summer? After they announce the topic, I mean?" Joichiro asks Hinata who looks dazed.

"Oh, uhm, I'm not sure. I think I might stay behind to take care of the garden." She replies indifferently.

"I see. I'll be staying too. I just want to experiment all summer for the Autumn Elections." Hinata hums, clearly not listening. "Hey, Hinata, you there?"

"Oh—uhm, sorry, what were you saying?" Hinata looks up at Joichiro, smiling. But he could tell she was thinking about something else, her smile didn't quite reach her eyes and her eyes were looking straight through him.

"I said I'll be staying for the summer too."

"Oh, that's nice," she said, looking ahead as they walked. Joichiro continued to stare at her, wondering about what's running through her mind.

"Okay—" Joichiro jerked to a stop, lightly holding Hinata's arm. "What's bothering you?" Hinata blinked up at him, her eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights. After a second of silence, she sighed.

"I'm just worried about the Autumn Elections, that's all."

"Why? I'm sure you'll do great," Joichiro smiled.

"That's the thing. I'm not sure I want to compete…let alone possibly win." Joichiro's smile disappeared. "I know it's weird…"

"A little, yeah. I mean, you're a great chef, Hinata. If you do your best like you did in training camp, you'll probably win—"

"But this isn't like training camp and I _don't_ want to win," Hinata sighed again, exasperated. "In camp, you have one judge there to grade your work, the lecturer. And in most cases, if your work is good but not great, then you get a lower grade but you still pass. In the Autumn Elections, there will be five judges, the entire school will be watching, and your cooking will not only have to pass their standards but in order to make it to the end, your dish will have to be better than others'. So, no, this will be _nothing_ like training camp or class. And like I said, I _don't_ want to win," Hinata said, Joichiro stared at her as she turned around and continued to walk. Joichiro ran to catch up to her.

"Okay, this upcoming election will be nothing like camp, but I still don't get it. Why don't you want to win? I mean, everybody wants to win at this event. Everybody was waiting on their hands and knees for their names to show up on the board and you don't even want to be a part of this?" Hinata stayed silent. "I mean, isn't the whole point of graduating from Totsuki and being a part of that elite one percent is to be recognized all over the world. I just don't under—"

This time, Hinata abruptly stops walking and turns to face Joichiro. "I've seen what success and fame can do to you, okay? And I don't want any of it. I just want to cook and make customers happy. Now, do you get it?" Without even waiting for a reply, Hinata took off, leaving behind a bewildered Joichiro. _What the hell did she mean by that?_ Joichiro thought as he walked back to the dorm by himself.

Later that night, Joichiro noticed that Hinata has not left her room since that afternoon. _She didn't even come down to eat dinner,_ he noted as he leaned on the kitchen counter. _Hmmm…what if I cook something for her?_ Extremely satisfied with his idea, he rushes to grab the necessary ingredients and started to cook.

After half an hour, he was done cooking the Prawns with Candied Pancetta and Gremolata. It looked exquisite, of course, and he was quite proud of it. He arranged the prawns and pancetta on top of micro herbs and finished it off with edible flowers for a kind and beautiful touch. He put the plate on a tray along with utensils, a pitcher of water, and a glass; then carried it up to her room. Balancing the tray on his left arm, he lightly knocked on the door of 304. After a few seconds of knocking, the door remained closed and there was no answer from the inside. He turned the knob lightly to check if it's locked and it wasn't.

"Hinata…?" Joichiro asked, as he slowly pushes the door open, peering inside to see if Hinata was already asleep. She was sitting on her bed, her head on her knees as they were pushed up to her chest. She was hugging her legs close to her, unmoving.

Joichiro didn't wait for her to answer and walked inside, closing the door lightly behind him. "You didn't come downstairs for dinner and I was worried so I cooked you a little something," he said, setting the tray down on her desk. Hinata looked up and Joichiro could see that her eyes were a little red and swollen. _Has she been crying?_ Joichiro wondered as he sat down beside her.

"Thank you, Saiba-kun, but you didn't have to do that," she quietly said as she scooted over from the wall to the edge of her bed, sitting beside him. "I was mean to you earlier, I don't deserve it." She looked down at her lap as she fidgeted with her hands.

"Hey, it's nothing," Joichiro said as he smiled at her, but she still stared at her lap. "But uhm…what did you mean by what you said…about knowing what success and fame can do to someone?"

She sighed and finally looked up at Joichiro. "My father was once a famous chef in his hometown: Nago, Okinawa. Everyone there knew him and wanted to eat in his restaurant. He had the world at his feet," Hinata looked out of the window, getting more pensive. "They were so convinced that he'll be big someday. So he moved to Tokyo, in search of more fame and fortune. And for a brief moment, everyone thought he was the next big thing," Joichiro stared at Hinata, his eyes furrowed. "Then he made a mistake. He fell in love." Hinata turned to look at him, his eyes glowing even more against the moonlight.

"Then what happened?" Joichiro asked as he finds himself getting pulled closer by her deep brown eyes. But as he slid a bit closer to her, she looked away.

"He married a nobody…my mom. She wasn't famous in the culinary industry and wasn't even rich to make up for it," she chuckled. "They all said he was making a mistake and he should marry Takako Asano—"

"Isn't she—"

"Yeah, she's the daughter of Souji Asano, founder of Kikkoman. They went on a few dates, actually, after she ate in his restaurant. But my father didn't love her and so they went their separate ways. Of course, people didn't understand that. She's culinary royalty, beautiful, kind…but he just didn't love her. Weeks later, he met my mom. Then months later, against everyone's advice, he married her. My mom's unknown status and their whirlwind romance drove away my dad's potential investors. But he didn't care, he was in love. Months after that, they had me."

Hinata reached over to her bedside drawer and pulled out a picture. She gave her family picture to Joichiro who took it wordlessly. In the picture, her entire family was smiling. Hinata was a small child, perched on the shoulders of her dad. Behind them is a beach, full of people.

"They wanted to be hands-on parents so my dad closed down his famous restaurant in Ginza and opened up our diner in Sumiredori Shopping District. They both worked at the diner and I was never alone. But when I was three years old, my mom was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Then, three years later, she died," Hinata stared at the floor, tears starting to form in her eyes. She blinked them away and gulped. Joichiro could only watch as she was unravelling her life story.

"Her death changed him. It was subtle at first, a glass of sake or scotch or whatever alcohol was available at night before going to sleep. But it didn't take long until he shut down the diner for days on ends because he was too drunk or distraught or both. Eventually, he did move on and stopped being an alcoholic. But now, he's projecting his frustrations onto me. He found out about this school and forced me to go here. He wants me to achieve what he didn't, to be as famous as he once was. But I don't want to be…because—"

"Because you've seen what fame and success can do to someone," Joichiro finished her sentence, finally putting two and two together. "You don't want to end up like your father."

Hinata shook her head lightly. "No, I don't. I just want to be happy and what makes me happy is cooking for our customers. As long as they like my cooking, then I'm happy. As long as we have customers, I have a purpose for living."

"Now I get it," Joichiro said as he looked at Hinata, who stared back at him. "I'm glad you opened up to me about this. It could just be because I'm annoying," Hinata chuckled. "But whatever the reason, I'm glad you did." He smiled at her.

"Thank you for understanding," Hinata said. "Plus I really miss my mom. I don't talk to anyone about her, not after…" She trailed off, feeling her throat close up a bit and tears build up again. "It's just been difficult, to even think about it. But it's good, I guess. You know that saying about dying twice?"

Joichiro shook his head. "No, what is it?"

"Well, according to the saying, you die twice. First is when you physically die and second is when somebody says your name for the last time, when nobody remembers you anymore. It goes something like that. I don't want my mom to be forgotten like that. It's actually one of the worst fears too." Hinata confessed, smiling weakly up at Joichiro.

"Well, you won't be forgotten if you're famous. I mean…" Joichiro trailed off as Hinata shook her head.

"I don't want to be remembered that way. I don't want people to talk about how successful I was or how rich and famous I was. If people are going to talk about me after I die, I want them to say that I was a good person. I want my family to recall that I was a loving and caring wife and mother. I want people who knew me to talk about how I helped them, how I made them happy, or how I changed their lives. _That's_ how I want to be remembered after I die." She smiled at him.

Joichiro stared at her, utterly perplexed by the girl beside him. _Most people our age want to be the most famous chef in Japan or in the world. We want to win awards, get recognized for our dishes, our names in magazines and on TV. But she doesn't want any of that._ "That's…" He stuttered, speechless for the first time in his life.

"Not normal, I know." She laughed lightly, nodding.

"Well, about your fear of being forgotten, that's normal. But you can forget that because…I won't forget you," He said, smiling at Hinata. "I mean, you're my first friend here. How could I?" Hinata smiled back at him. Joichiro could feel his chest tighten again. Blinking and coughing lightly, he stands up and grabs the dish from the tray. "Here," he said, handing over the dish to Hinata. "Eat it, you'll feel better."

She silently nodded and took a bite. Hinata closed her eyes, overwhelmed by the flavours. The lemon zest and herbs from the gremolata shook her to the core. The candied pancetta and prawns matched together perfectly, their contrasting taste battling in her mouth. She sighed as she took a few more bites. It was exquisite. _He really outdid himself this time,_ she thought.

Hinata could feel the heat rising up from within her, making her face heat up as she took another bite. She could feel the taste of prawns, pancetta, and gremolata take over her. For a few more seconds, she thought of nothing else. It was like being tied down as the flavour dominated her thoughts. Losing control, Hinata allowed herself to moan ever so lightly. It was an unforgiving dish that doesn't take no for an answer. Her eyes fluttered open as she blushed.

When he heard her moan, he looked away and closed his eyes tight. Heat was rushing up to his face and filling his entire body. It was a sound so low, he barely heard it but it made his entire being tremble to the bones. _Keep it together, Joichiro._ "So, how is it?" He asked, forcing himself to calm down. _She just likes your dish, that's all. It doesn't mean anything_.

"Be gentle next time," she said, as she put the fork down. He stared at her, her wide brown eyes luring him in again. Joichiro could hear his brain going into overdrive, not quite sure what to do anymore. "If you're cooking a comfort dish for someone, be gentle." She slowly looks up at him, smiling, a bit of gremolata on the edge of her lips. _She's never looked more beautiful,_ he thinks, a faint smile playing on his lips. _I think I'm in love with her._

Unconsciously, Joichiro reaches up to her face to wipe off the green paste. "Don't worry," he says as he leans in closer. Throwing caution to the wind along with all rationality, his thumb wipes off the gremolata on her lips. Hinata could feel his breath on her lips as he whispers. "I'll be gentle next time." _Screw it,_ Joichiro thought. _I have to kiss her._

The distance between their faces is getting shorter by the second, as Joichiro keeps his hand on her face. His thumb is resting just beside her lips as his hand gently pulls her face closer and closer to his. Hinata could barely breathe with all the tension. She stares up at Joichiro, her hands gripping the empty plate so hard, her knuckles are turning white.

 _This is probably a bad idea,_ Joichiro thinks as he looks down at her lips. Her cherry-coloured lips ajar, drawing him closer. _But I'll never forgive myself if I let this moment pass._ Their lips are mere centimetres away. He looks up at her eyes and watches as they slowly flutter to a close. Joichiro slides his hand from her jaw to the back of her neck, his fingers lace through her soft hair. He closes his eyes as their lips touch ever so lightly. He pauses, taking a moment to feel her soft lips on the edge of his. In the silence of the room, Joichiro swears they could both hear his pounding heart, banging against his chest like a drum. _This is it, I'm finally going to kiss her_ , he thinks as he is about to complete their kiss.

"Joichiro!" A loud shout echoes throughout the room, reverberating from the metal pipes. Joichiro jerks his head back, his eyes flying open in shock. The plate from Hinata's hands flies out as she jumps in shock. It lands on the floor with a loud crash, the utensils clashing against the plate. _Damn you, Gin!_ He thinks as he glares at the metal pipe in the corner of Hinata's room. "Joichiro! Let's do a shokugeki! We're in the kitchen, come down now!" Gin continues to shout through the pipe.

His hand is still wrapped around the back of Hinata's neck as he shouts, "Yeah, yeah, I'll be there! Just give me a second!" Hinata looks away from Joichiro, her face turning redder than a tomato. She takes Joichiro's hand from her hair and gently pulls it away. He turns to look back at her, blinking as she laid his hand on his lap. She put her hand right back at her lap as she stared down, refusing to look at Joichiro. "Hinata, I'm sorry…" Joichiro whispered, not knowing what to do or say.

"You don't have to apologize," she whispered back, feeling tears rise up to her eyes again. "Nothing happened." She gulped, forcing herself to keep the tears at bay. "Anyway, Gin is looking for you. You should go," she turned away from him, facing the window as her resolve broke down and hot tears ran down her face.

Joichiro gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hinata…"

"Just go, Saiba-kun." She said, forcing her voice not to quiver.

He sighs as he squeezes his eyes shut. _I fucked up,_ he thinks as he takes his hand off her shoulder. Joichiro opens his eyes and watches Hinata for a few moments before standing up and leaving her room, gently closing the door behind him. For a minute, he just stands there outside her door, cursing the universe. _But it's not Gin's or anyone's fault. It's mine. I shouldn't have tried to kiss her, what was I thinking? She probably doesn't even think of me that way._

Pulling himself away from where he stood, he slowly walked across the hall to his room. _But she didn't exactly pull away from the kiss either._ Joichiro goes into his room and grabs the case of knives. _Yeah, she didn't. But she was vulnerable, talking about her parents and her worst fears…and you took advantage of the situation._

"Damn, I screwed up," Joichiro whispers to himself as he walked down the stairs.

* * *

Three days after their almost kiss; Hinata has been avoiding Joichiro like the plague. She'd eat breakfast really early and ate lunch or dinner when everybody's done. On the fourth day, the letter containing the topic for the autumn elections arrived. Everybody gathered in the dining area, reading aloud the letter which announced the topic: Rice. Joichiro noted Hinata's absence while they all read the letter and talked about summer plans. Later that night when everybody went back to their rooms, Hinata went downstairs to read the letter before eating dinner alone. The next morning, everyone in the dorm except for Hinata and Joichiro left for the summer.

Hinata sat still in her bed as she listened intently for the sound of Joichiro entering his room and sleeping for the night. She kept her eyes closed, breathing slowly so she wouldn't miss anything. After a few minutes, she could hear the unmistakable sound of his footsteps walking down the hall and it stopped just outside of his room. The second she heard his door open and close, she stood up and went to go out of her room. She opened her door and stopped in her tracks. Joichiro was there, leaning on the frame of her door, just like he did when she first got into Polar Star.

"You're avoiding me," He said, frowning. Hinata remained silent, frozen in her spot like a thief caught in the act. Joichiro pushed himself off the door frame and sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about what happened—"

"Nothing happened." Hinata finally spoke.

"Okay, then I'm sorry for what _almost_ happened." Hinata stared at him, silent once again. Joichiro huffed in frustration, unnerved by the tension in the air. "It should be obvious by now that I have feelings for you…" Hinata blinked, her eyes widening at his confession. "And I get it if you don't feel the same way—"

"No." Hinata interrupts, still looking up at him in shock. "You can't—I mean, we can't—"

"Yeah, like I said I get it—"

"No, you don't," Hinata shakes her head. "It's not that I don't…It's…" Hinata hesitates, not knowing how to explain herself to him. "I can't drag you into my mess."

"What does that mean?"

They stare at each other for a few more seconds, hesitation written all over Hinata's face while frustration colours his. "It means we should just be friends," Hinata said. Joichiro wordlessly nodded as Hinata started to leave her room.

"Wait—" He reaches out to her, gently holding her arm. "I still don't understand what that means."

Hinata sighs. "I can't tell you, you just have to trust me that it's for the best."

"But if you feel the same way, then isn't us being together the best?" Joichiro said, getting increasingly frustrated with all the cryptic messages. "Hinata—"

"We can't be together. _Please_ …try to understand. If you want to be my friend then you'll let this go…you'll let me go," Hinata whispered, tears forming in her eyes. Joichiro let go of her arm and watched as she ran downstairs.

He walked back to his room, still unsure of what to make of their conversation. Joichiro lied back in his bed, his head resting on his arms as he stared at the ceiling. He closes his eyes tightly, trying his best to fall asleep despite his brain going into overdrive.

* * *

The entire week after that night passed by in a blur. Joichiro spent every waking moment researching, trying out recipes, and walking around as he brainstormed for ideas. No matter what the weather, he'd always spend at least an hour walking around the campus or Tokyo, looking for interesting ingredients and trying out food. On some occasions, the rain would suddenly pour but Joichiro continued to walk around without an umbrella. He was in a rabbit hole of thoughts and frustrations, too busy to care about the rain drenching him.

Every now and then he'd bump into Hinata in the dorm. He'd catch her leaving her room as he enters his, she would walk into the kitchen as he cooked, and she'd see him leaving the dorm to walk as she came back from the garden. They haven't said a word to each other all week. Even Fumio was frustrated at their cold war, except it wasn't really a war. They just didn't know what to say to each other anymore now that they've essentially confessed their feelings to each other but they can't be together.

This added to his frustrations and pushed him to stay up late to try out ideas, research, and walk. And whenever he would retire to his bedroom, he would just stare at the ceiling for hours. It didn't take long before his attempt at removing Hinata from his mind had taken an effect on his body. One morning when Joichiro woke up, he groaned in pain. His entire body felt hot but at the same time, he was shivering. He struggled to leave the bed and took his precious time going downstairs, his head pounding as he took a step. Fortunately only Fumio-san was in the dining room when he went in…or rather, crawled in.

He could barely register Fumio-san's words as she fussed over him, bringing him food and medicine right away. After eating, he tried to leave for the city but Fumio blocked his way, forcing him to go to bed and rest. It was no use protesting so he crawled back up to his room. The moment his back hit the bed, he fell asleep for the first time in days.

Hours later, he heard his door open and someone walking in. He kept his eyes closed, thinking it was Fumio leaving food for him. Faintly, he could hear the person gently putting down a tray on his table.

"Thank you…" He muttered as he started to fall asleep again.

"You're welcome," Hinata replied as she stood beside his bed. Joichiro's eyes flew open, blinking as they adjusted in the dark. "Fumio-san told me you're sick…so I made soup." She smiled weakly at Joichiro.

"Am I hallucinating…?" Joichiro whispered, hoping that he wasn't.

Hinata laughed. "No, you're not." She reached out and felt his forehead with the back of her hand. "You're really hot…" she whispered, her eyebrows furrowing as she pulled her hand away.

"You know, if you just want to tell me how handsome I am—" Hinata laughed again, lightly slapping his arm. Joichiro smiled. "Does this mean we're friends again?"

She nodded. "I miss my friend."

They stared at each other for a few moments, smiling. For the first time in a long time, there was no more tension between them. "So, what did you cook for me?" He said, struggling to sit up. Hinata rushed to help him sit up. She then walked over to the tray, grabbing the bowl of soup.

"Astragalus and miso soup," she sat beside him, handing over the steaming bowl.

He took the bowl off her hands and tasted the soup. He closed his eyes as he felt the soup warm his insides. It was refreshing and comforting. It wasn't overwhelming with flavour like what he cooked for her. Rather it was kind, it was considerate. "Be gentle," he said as he recalled her advice on comfort food. Hinata only smiled at him in response. He continued eating until the bowl was empty. "Thank you, Hinata," he whispered to her, smiling.

"You're welcome," she said, smiling at him as well.

* * *

 _So there's Chapter 6 huhu I hope you guys like it!_

 _Please follow, favorite, and comment if you want!_

 _I'll do my best to upload the next chapter soon_

 _P.S. The recipe for Prawns with Candied Pancetta and Gremolata is from Katrina Meynink's book, "Kitchen Coquette"_


	7. Chapter 7: Poison & Wine

_I've been wrestling with this chapter for a while. So I really hope you guys like this one!_

 _Again, thank you all so much for the comments, favorites, and follows!_

 _They make me so so happy and motivated to finish this story_

 _Anyway, here goes chapter 7. And yes, the title is based on the song by The Civil Wars._

 _Hope you guys like it!_

* * *

Chapter 7: Poison & Wine

 **1995**

"But, Hinata…" Joichiro protested, grabbing her hand as she stood up.

She looked down at him, tears flowing down her cheeks. "I have to go," she said, pulling her hand away from his grip. Outside of the barn, they could hear a car honking. "Goodbye, Joichiro-kun. I wish you the best." She smiles at him before rushing out of the barn.

Joichiro stared after her, paralyzed in his seat. _But I'm in love with you,_ he thought before he running out of the barn, hoping he hasn't missed her.

* * *

 **Six Months Ago**

One of the freshmen in the audience points at Hinata who is concentrating on the papad. He whispers to his friend beside him, "Do you know who that is?"

"She looks familiar," he replies, looking closer. "Oh, I think she's my classmate in Professor Chappelle's class."

"I've never seen her before, how is _she_ chosen for the Autumn Elections and we're not?"

His friend shrugs. "Beats me. But I bet she won't make it to the next round."

"Yeah, I mean, what the hell is she making anyway?" They laugh, focusing on Joichiro instead. "Saiba-san is so cool. I can't believe he's in the same year as us." His friend nods in agreement.

Joichiro focuses on his pan as he sears the beef eye fillet steaks. _This needs to cook for a few minutes. I wonder how Hinata is doing._ He looks up at Hinata who is three kitchen tables away from his. She's heating some oil in a pan and throws in some spices. As she sautés, the scent of cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon, and cardamom overwhelm the arena.

The judges take note of what she's doing and so do the audience. Everybody's wondering what she's doing, asking who she is, and admiring the aroma; but she doesn't even see or hear them. Without even pausing for a second, she adds green chillies and onion paste, heightening the aroma even more. This time their co-contestants are watching her over their shoulders, suddenly nervous. Joichiro smiles before flipping over his steak. _I knew you have it in you,_ he thinks.

* * *

Ever since they made up and returned to being friends, they spent the rest of summer working on their possible dish for the elections. Sometimes Hinata would even join him in his brainstorming walks around the city. They ate at various stalls, diners, restaurants, and scoured markets for ingredients.

One night, Joichiro took her to a restaurant in Ginza. "Saiba-kun, what are we doing here? We can't afford to eat anything at this restaurant. A glass of water maybe but—" Hinata rambles on as they walk towards Recette, a high-class French restaurant.

"Would you calm down?" He laughs as he pulls the hesitant Hinata to the side of the restaurant. "Anyway, we're not going to be dining with the rest of those fancy people."

Hinata sighed in relief. "Good, I'm not even dressed for this place. I mean—wait, so where _are_ we eating? Where are you taking me?" she asks as he pulls her into an alley where the service entrance to the kitchen is located. "We're going through here?" she stares at Joichiro as they stop right outside the door.

"Yep," Joichiro says as he twists the handle open. "Don't worry, I'll pay for dinner." He winks at Hinata who continues to stare at him, confused. He pushes the door open and they walk inside the kitchen.

The kitchen is buzzing with activity. At the far end near the door to the dining area is presumably the head chef who is shouting orders at everyone. They all shout "Oui, chef!" in response as they continue to cook. It was a hectic atmosphere. Uneasy, Hinata stayed still by the door as Joichiro walked over to the nearest chef and gave him a pat on the back.

"You're still here, huh?" He says to the chef who stares at him in shock. For a moment, Hinata swears they would get kicked out the kitchen for trespassing or something.

Then the chef smiled. "Saiba-sama!" He shouts, hugging Joichiro. "Don't tell me you'll be working here again?" _Working here…?_ Hinata wondered. "Look who's back, chef!" He shouts at the head chef who turns around to look.

"Joichiro-san!" He shouts as he walks over to hug Joichiro himself. The entire kitchen turns to look. Most of the people were just as lost as Hinata was who wanted to fade into the wall. "What a pleasant surprise! What brings you here? Will you be working for me again? You know I'd take you back in a heartbeat!"

Joichiro laughs, shaking his head gently. "No, I can't. Totsuki is harder than you let on, Kano-sama."

The head chef laughs. "Well, how was I to know? I only found it out from a friend of mine and he didn't tell me much except that you have to go there. Anyway, what can I do for you, eh?"

"I'm actually with a friend who's studying at Totsuki with me," Joichiro says, looking over at Hinata. They all look over at her. She freezes in her spot, nervous with all of the attention. "I was wondering if we could have dinner here, we've been walking around Ginza for hours and you know I can't afford anything anywhere in this place," Joichiro says, grinning and scratching the back of his head.

"Say no more," He says, throwing his hand up. "You and your girlfriend can eat here. Don't worry about the bill, it's on me."

"She's not my—" Joichiro protests, chuckling.

"But since my restaurant is full tonight, you'll have to eat here in the kitchen. I can set up a small table for you two in the corner. Okay?"

"Sounds perfect. Thank you, chef."

The chef waves his hand at him. "It's nothing. You're the best commis chef I've had in decades, Joichiro-san. Order anything you want, okay? Imada-san will take care of you two. I have to go back to work." He smiles before leaving, tapping a server on his way and ordering him to fix their table.

Joichiro walks back to where Hinata stands. "See, I told you I'll pay for dinner," he gloats, grinning at her.

"Technically, your former boss will be paying for our dinner," she replies, relaxing a bit now that no one's staring at her. "When did you work here?"

"It's a long story," Joichiro deflects as they were escorted into their seats by the waiter.

"It's okay, we have all night…" Hinata says, staring at Joichiro who looked uncomfortable. "I've told you my life story, now you tell me yours."

"Okay, fine," He looks up at her, serious. "As long as you promise not to kiss me in the end," he teases her, grinning.

Hinata scoffs and rolls her eyes. "I don't think there's any danger of _that_ happening." Joichiro raises his eyebrow at her. "I promise," she says mockingly, staring him down.

Joichiro chuckles, leaning back in his seat. "Let's order dinner first, and then I'll tell you." Hinata nods and they read the menu. A few seconds later, they place their orders. The wine arrives seconds later and they take a few sips before Joichiro decided to speak up.

"I was born into a family of doctors and scientists. Ever since I was little, I knew my parents wanted me to become a doctor like them. But I wasn't exactly fond of science or medicine, I was more interested in cooking. The first time I held a knife, I was five and my grandmother was coming to visit," Joichiro paused, taking a sip of his wine. The entire time he spoke, he looked down on his glass. Hinata only watched him in silence, waiting for him to continue.

"My grandmother was not close to the rest of the family, to put it subtly. She loved cooking like me, but she was also a nutritionist. She wasn't exactly loved, but she wasn't disowned either. It was a tricky situation for her since they often kept me from meeting her, so we didn't meet much when I was young. But even though we only met a few times, she taught me a lot about cooking and it's why I grew up wanting to become a chef," he smiled faintly as he recalled his grandmother.

"Fast forward to when I graduated in elementary school, I told my parents that I wanted to become a chef. They banned me from meeting my grandmother and told me upfront that they would disown me if I pursued it. So, naturally," he shrugged. "I ran away and lived with my grandmother. Now that I think about it, I never knew how my parents reacted to it. If they ever called and fought with my grandmother, she never told me and I never found out. She paid for school while I worked part-time around small restaurants." They looked up as a waiter arrived with their food. He announced the names of the dishes as he laid it in front of them.

"Enjoy your dinner," the waiter said.

"Thank you," they both replied and he left them.

"Eventually, I was hired here as a dishwasher," Joichiro said before taking a bite. "Then one day, Kano-sama caught me reading the cookbooks around here so he decided to take a chance with me. I worked hard until I became the commis chef and the rest is history," he shrugged, still not looking at Hinata and focusing on his plate.

"Sounds like your grandmother was an amazing woman, I wish I could've met her," Hinata said.

"She really was. Before the end of middle school, she died and left me her apartment and everything else. It's how I pay for high school. Even after she's gone, she's still helping me," he stops cutting into his fish and pauses for a second. "I owe her everything," his eyebrows furrowed as he cleared his throat before concentrating on his meal again.

Hinata reaches out to him, gently placing her hand on his arm. Joichiro freezes. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Joichiro looks up at her, speechless. Hinata smiled and withdrew her hand, slicing up her vegetables again. He continued to stare at her, his heart beating faster than it should. _Did that mean something? No, stop it, Joichiro. She's just being nice._ He shakes his head and goes back to eating.

* * *

"And now the judges are going to score Hinata's dish!" Ayame announces to the stadium.

 _Damn,_ Joichiro thinks. _I was so busy with my dish and remembering our summer together that I missed the judging of Hinata's dish._ He looks up at the judges who are deep in thought and glances at the audience. _It looks good if they're serious like that, I guess._

The judges all press the buttons at the same time. The total score is revealed on screen: 87. The crowd goes wild, most of them shocked that someone like her can get that score. Joichiro smiles at Hinata, who thanked the judges before going back to her station. He watches her as she stands in front of her stove. Hinata looks up at Joichiro whose smile widens as they lock eyes. She smiles back at him before grabbing the pans to clean in the sink. He returns to his cooking, even more fired up now.

Moments later a few more contestants present their dish and wow the judges. Hinata was bumped down to the fifth spot and is eliminated. "With Seto Hori getting a score of 89, he overtakes Hinata Yukihira who is now in the fifth place." The crowd goes wild again, cheering on the blonde guy.

As Joichiro places his finishing touches, he looks over at Hinata, worried. Unsurprisingly, she's looking down at the floor, avoiding people's stares. But upon looking closer, he could see a faint smile on her lips, clearly relieved. He chuckles and looks back at his plates. _She really doesn't want any attention from this._

Done with his dishes, he walks up to the judges and presents his dish. "Please enjoy," Joichiro announces. Once again, the crowd roars. Notably, his fan club raises their banners. Hinata watches them as they shout his name and chuckles, shaking her head. _You really are something, Joichiro,_ she thinks as she watches the man himself, unfazed with all of the attention. _How_ do _you do it?_

The judges take a bite and are stunned with the flavour. "Such an overwhelming flavour! The mustard compliments the perfectly pan-seared fillet steaks, while it also clashes with the parmesan cheese," one of the judges comment, taking another bite.

"The balsamic vinegar also elevates the taste of the cheese and mustard, while the arugula salad provides a crunchy texture," the other judge says.

"It also has a refreshing, clean taste that emphasizes the salty steak and sharp taste of the mustard! This dish is a tightrope walk between flavours, resulting in umami on a different level!"

"But this creaminess…" one of the judges ponders as she inspects the risotto. "You made use of carnaroli rice, didn't you?"

"That's right," Joichiro confirms. "Carnaroli has a higher starch content and firmer texture compared to other rice varieties used for risotto such as Arborio."

The crowd goes wild again, praising Joichiro. Hinata can't help but smile, not caring if anyone sees. "Now, judges, please score his dish!" Ayame announces and the judges immediately place their scores, without even thinking for more than a second. The total score is revealed: 96. "Amazing! Joichiro Saiba gets the highest score in recorded history!"

Noise fills up the stadium, most of them cheers, gasps, and compliments directed at Joichiro. "It wasn't much!" Joichiro shouts, grinning. He takes off his apron and walks back to his station. He looks over at Hinata who is already watching him. They smile at each other.

"And that concludes the preliminary round for Block A!" Ayame announces, everybody cheers. "The top four contestants will move on to battle in the main tournament: Saiba Joichiro, Tokuda Chiaki, Uyeda Tadashi, and Hori Seto!"

...

When they all gathered back at the Polar Star to celebrate, it was announced that Dojima Gin also made it to the top 4 in Block B, along with Otsuka Akiko, another Polar Star resident. They celebrate throughout the night before retiring to their rooms. Hinata stays behind to clean up. "Go to sleep, Fumio-san. I can handle this," she says to Fumio who smiles at her thankfully before going into her room.

After done clearing up the tables, Hinata carried the dirty dishes to the kitchen. She jerks to a stop by the door, not realizing Joichiro was in the kitchen the entire time. Leaning on the counter and looking down at the floor, he looks deep in thought and didn't even notice Hinata as she walked in.

"What are you still doing here? Get some rest, you have to start preparing tomorrow for the quarterfinals," she says as she starts to scrub in the sink.

Silently, he walks up next to her and picks up the soaped-up dishes to wash them clean in the adjacent sink. "Thank you, Hinata," he says, his voice so low and serious that Hinata looked up at him, mildly stunned for a second. "I couldn't have done it without you," he continues while washing.

Hinata shakes her head. "Yes, you could've. All those days brainstorming, researching, and experimenting? That was all you, Saiba-kun," she said, playfully elbowing his arm.

Joichiro chuckled. _You just don't know how much help you've been this summer, Hinata._ "Anyway, I'm sorry you didn't make it."

"Don't be, you and I both know I'm relieved that I didn't make it. I was internally panicking the entire time my name was next to the number 4," Hinata smiles, shaking her head as she recalls the moment she was dethroned, so to speak. "Anyway, let's finish this so we can go to sleep. We've got a big day tomorrow."

"We?" Joichiro looked down at Hinata, who looked up at his response.

"Of course 'we,' did you really think I'd let you go through this tournament alone?" She asked. Joichiro only smiled at her, speechless. "So, come on, finish those while I stack the clean ones into the cupboard."

...

Every week since the end of the preliminary round, Joichiro and Hinata devote themselves to researching, experimenting, and taste testing dishes he could serve during the main tournament. Hinata offers her knowledge on medicinal cuisine and has become his official guinea pig for weeks. Of course, a few of his dishes were inedible and Hinata ran out of the kitchen crying. Joichiro would apologize afterwards with a delicious dish and all would be well. Then the cycle starts all over again, whenever Joichiro would be frustrated, he'd whip up a disgusting meal that Hinata would naively taste despite its obviously horrendous appearance or smell.

"There's something that is still missing from this dish…" Joichiro mutters and looks over at Hinata, who is now sleeping on the kitchen counter. He chuckles, noticing the drool on her mouth.

Joichiro walks over to her and lifts her up in his arms, careful not to wake her up. She stirs a little before leaning on his shoulder and relaxing again. He carries her up to her room, thankful that the door was already a bit open. Slowly, he puts her down on the bed and takes off her slippers, arranging it next to her bed. Hinata rolls over to her side, muttering something inaudible.

He sits down next to her, trying not to jerk the bed too much. _These past few weeks have been insane. But you make everything worthwhile, fun…and even easy, as if we're not trudging through wastelands in search for new flavour and techniques._ Joichiro reaches over and tucks her hair behind her ear, letting his hand linger along her jaw as he recalls the night they almost kissed in this same bed. He shakes his head and stands up. _Stop right there,_ he scolds himself as he walks out of her room, locking the door behind him. _You're friends, that's all. Going down that road is a bad idea. Besides, you should be thinking about how to beat Gin tomorrow._ He rushes back to the kitchen and focused his thoughts on his cooking.

* * *

"The winner for the 20th Annual Totsuki Autumn Election is…" Senzaemon pauses as the tension piles up.

Both Joichiro and Gin presented dishes beyond their years, blowing away the judges and audience alike. It took the judges a while to figure out the clear winner because their dishes were nearly equal. _This is it,_ Joichiro thinks, his heart pounding in his chest. He looks over at the audience, searching for Hinata. _Hinata…_ he stops as he spots her in the crowd, his heart leaping in his chest at the sight of her. She's praying intently, her eyes closed.

"Saiba Joichiro!" Senzaemon announces. Joichiro turns his head to look at the headmaster, not sure if he heard his name right. The crowd yells in excitement, shouting his name and giving praises.

He looks at Gin, who smiles at him. He grins back. "We did it, Gin!" he shouts, throwing his arm around Gin's shoulder as he pumps his fist in the air.

"Yeah! Congratulations, Joichiro!" Gin says as they laugh. Unconsciously, Joichiro starts searching for Hinata in the crowd again. His smile falls when he notices that she has left her seat. His eyes frantically search the Chandra's Room, thinking maybe she went down to greet him in the arena. "Oi, Joichiro, you okay?" Gin asks, curious at his sudden change in mood.

"Yeah, I'll meet you back at the dorm," Joichiro says as he starts to walk out of the arena, puzzling Gin.

"Where is Saiba-senpai going?" Azami asks as he walks up to Gin who shrugs in reply, watching as Joichiro fades in the crowd.

 _Where is she?_ Joichiro thinks as he runs out of the arena, looking at the students that pass by him. They congratulate him and he only smiles at them, his mind far away from the moment. _Maybe she already went back to the dorm?_ Squeezing past the crowd, he runs back to Polar Star.

The moment he arrives in the dorm, he immediately checks the kitchen and dining area, both of which are empty aside from Fumio-san who is cooking. "Congratulations, Joichiro!" she says, grinning at him as she holds a spoon in her hand.

"Thank you, Fumio-san," he says before rushing upstairs.

Panting, he opens the door to her room. He blinks as he sees Hinata, who is just as shocked as him. "Where were you? I've been looking for you everywhere," he says, breathless as he stood by her door, gripping the handle in his hand.

"I ran back immediately to tell Fumio-san that you won," she smiles at him. Joichiro could feel his heart pounding and he's sure it's not because of the running. "Congratulations, Saiba—"

Joichiro slams the door close behind him. Hinata gasps, her heart skipping a beat. He walks over to her with an intense look on his face. His golden eyes stare down her brown ones, freezing Hinata in her place. Their toes align as he stands in front of her, still pinning her down with his deep gaze. He reaches up and strokes her jaw lightly, his light touch causing shivers to run down Hinata's spine, before wrapping his hand across the nape of Hinata's neck as he pulls her closer.

Hinata gasps as Joichiro presses his lips against hers. Hinata freezes for a moment before giving in, kissing him back as she reaches up to wrap her arms around his neck. His soft lips gently kiss hers, the taste of spices lingering in his breath, intoxicating and addictive. After a few kisses, he pulls away slowly, looking down at Hinata who stares at him with wide eyes, her pupils visibly dilated.

"This is probably a bad idea," Joichiro whispers, still short of breath.

"Yeah…" Hinata whispers. She bites her lip and looks down at his, every millisecond of their kiss running through her mind. Something inside Joichiro stirs as he sees her biting her lips, blushing heavily as she looks at his lips.

"But…" He whispers. Hinata looks up at him; her heavy-lidded gaze flips a switch in Joichiro's mind. _Screw it,_ he thinks as his other arm goes around her waist, pulling her closer. He could feel the heat of her body, inches away from his.

Their lips clash once more as they kiss, no longer cautious and gentle. Their feverish kisses make it harder to breathe, but Hinata finds herself running her fingers through his hair and fervently pulling off his hair tie as she kisses him harder. Joichiro groans in response, pressing his body against hers, closing the remaining distance between them. They stumble back, kissing. Their lips separate again as Hinata gasps, her back hitting the wall. She looks up at Joichiro who is breathless as he leans his arm on the wall.

"Do you want this?" He whispers as Hinata continued to stare up at him. She nods before reaching up and grabbing his jacket by the collar to pull him close. They kiss again, their lips even more demanding than it was a second ago. _This isn't enough,_ Joichiro screams in his mind which is going into overdrive with all the sensation. Heat is pooling below his navel as sweat runs down his back. His mind is consumed by the softness of her lips, her deft fingers grabbing his hair, and the smell of her vanilla perfume filling the air.

Losing control, Joichiro lifts her up by the hips. Hinata gasps, unconsciously wrapping her legs around him as their bodies press up against the wall. _This is…_ Hinata struggles to think, her mind going numb. She could feel heat building up as every inch of their bodies touch. Panting, Hinata lifts her head up to breathe, prompting Joichiro to leave a trail of kisses down her neck. Her eyes roll back as she groans. Joichiro grins against her skin before gently biting a small area below her ear.

Hinata gasps before bending her head down to kiss him again, pulling off his jacket in frustration. He complies, shrugging off the jacket and it falls to the floor with a faint thud. Joichiro reaches for the hem of her sweater, pulling it gently. Hinata quickly removes it; some of her shirt gets caught as she pulls off the cashmere jumper. The sight of her torso's pale, glowing skin drew Joichiro in as he reached out to grab her waist.

They pull each other back again, their kisses more urgent and forceful. With only their thin shirts separating their skin, the heat between them becomes more pronounced. But as Joichiro's hand wanders from her waist to her back; his fingers leave a burning trail as their breathing becomes more ragged. As she reaches for the hem of Joichiro's shirt, someone knocks on the door. They stop kissing and stare at the door, not moving from their compromising position.

"Hinata, have you seen Joichiro? Everyone's looking for him," Akiko asks.

Hinata clears her throat. "Isn't he in his room? I haven't seen him since earlier," she shouts, hoping she didn't sound too breathless.

"No, I've already checked. Anyway, come downstairs for the party, he'll probably turn up soon enough."

"Yeah, I'll be right there," she shouts back. They wait until the sound of her footsteps fades. Joichiro sighs in relief before reaching up to kiss her again. Hinata pushes him away gently, "Wait, we have to go."

Joichiro huffs in frustration. "Hinata…" he whispers as he gazes into her eyes again.

"If we don't, they'll be suspicious. We _have_ to go downstairs," she says, breathing heavily before holding onto his shoulders as she unwraps her legs from his waist and stands up. "Come on, it's your celebration," she grins up at Joichiro, who smiles back at her.

"Okay, fine," he reaches up to her face, gently tilting her chin up as he places a soft kiss on her already swollen lips. "Let's go." He grins before reaching down to pick up his jacket from the floor.

They go downstairs separately, Hinata goes down first. Everyone asks her if she's seen Joichiro, but she shrugs, telling them she hasn't seen him since earlier. After a few minutes, Joichiro arrives.

"Where the hell have you been, Joichiro?" Gin scolds Joichiro as he laughs. "Everyone's been looking for you and you just ran out of the arena without telling anyone where you're going—!"

"You have to calm down, Gin. I'm here now, right? Let's party!" He shouts, breaking the tension in the air as he pats Gin in the back. He grabs a cup from the table, "Here," he hands it over to Gin who is still livid but takes the cup anyway.

"Congratulations, Saiba-sama!" Their friends shout in different ways. Eventually, Gin calmed down and the rest of the party was smooth-sailing. They eat the dinner prepared by Fumio along with some dishes made by some of their friends. After a couple of drinks, everybody starts to let loose. Hinata just stayed in her seat, silently watching everybody as she smiles and drinks.

"You really are amazing, Saiba-senpai!" Hinata watches as the girls fawn over Joichiro, amused. "I bet you'll be even more amazing ten, twenty years from now," one of them said.

Hinata loses her smile and looks away. _Twenty years from now,_ she thinks, her eyebrows slowly furrowing. _Where will we be twenty years from now… I'll be 35 or…_ she stands up and leaves the room swiftly, hoping nobody noticed her.

She walks up to the balcony, looking up at the stars. "Where'd you go?" Joichiro calls out. Hinata turns around and sees him walking up to her, a grin plastered on his face. "You have to stop doing that, you know? I won't play hide and seek with you until we get old," he jokes. Hinata only looks away, her heart pounding in her chest. _Do I tell him?_

"I just needed some air," she mutters as she looks back up at the sky.

He stands next to her. "What's bothering you?"

"It's nothing."

"Hey…" he whispers as he gently pulls her to face him. "What's wrong?" Hinata stays silent, staring up at him. "Is it because of what happened?" Joichiro slides his hand down her arm to hold her hand. "Are you having doubts about us again?"

"No," Hinata said, shaking her head. "No doubts. I have feelings for you too and…I want to be with you." She smiles.

Joichiro returns her smile before reaching down to lift her chin and kiss her softly. "Then what's wrong?"

Hinata reaches up to take his hand in hers. "If we do this, I want you to know that there's something I've been dealing with for a while. I'm not ready to tell you what it is yet and I've been pushing you away so you wouldn't have to deal with it too—"

"Whatever it is, I'm sure I can handle it," he shrugs casually, but his gaze meant business. "We'll be okay, alright? You can trust me. I know what I'm getting myself into and you're not alone with…whatever it is."

Hinata nods, tears forming in her eyes. Joichiro wraps his arms around her in a reassuring embrace. He kisses the top of her head. "I get it now…" he mutters, mostly to himself. Hinata looks up at him curiously. "My grandmother told me the secret to becoming a great chef. She said, 'The secret to becoming a great chef is meeting someone that will make you want to give all the food you make to her,' I thought it was ridiculous at first…but now I understand what she meant," he said, his voice low and serious.

Joichiro looks down at Hinata who stares at him with a smile. He bends his head down to kiss her again. "Let's go back to the party, they'll be wondering where we are again," he says, smirking. The mischievous glint in his eyes makes Hinata chuckle and shake her head. He takes her hand and leads her out of the balcony.

"Wait—" Hinata stops and Joichiro turns around to look. "Is it okay if we keep our relationship…I don't know, secret? It's not that I want to hide this from everyone, but…"

"You don't want the attention that comes with it," he finishes for her. Hinata nods, biting her lips. "Don't worry, I know you," he smiles at her, before jerking her head towards the door. "I'll go first then, but promise to come down after a while, okay?" Hinata nods. Joichiro smiles at her again before leaving.

Hinata walks back to the edge of the balcony, resting her arms on the balustrade. _How do you tell the man you love you have an expiry date?_ Hinata thinks as she looks up at the stars.

* * *

After that night, Joichiro and Hinata would meet in secret around Polar Star and Totsuki. They'd sneak kisses at night whenever there isn't anyone around, sometimes they'd meet in the barn, or they'd leave notes for each other in their lockers or rooms. It was a clandestine set up that suited them both. Hinata doesn't want any attention and Joichiro quite liked the excitement of it all. Joichiro also grew closer to Gin, hanging out with him and having shokugekis. Hinata, on the other hand, concentrated most of her time on projects by the Medicinal Cuisine RS and the Polar Star garden.

The night before they would all leave for the Stagiaire, Hinata lied down on the bed to go to sleep after packing up her things. All of her things are in suitcases stacked in one corner of the room. A few minutes later, she heard her door open and close. She kept her eyes closed, knowing who her midnight visitor is.

The other side of the bed dipped as Joichiro climbed on after removing his shoes, lying on his side so he could wrap his arm around Hinata who faced the wall. Hinata stirred a bit, pretending to still be asleep.

"Come on, I know you're still awake," Joichiro whispered to her ear as he propped himself up on one elbow. Hinata slowly opened her eyes, looking over her shoulder at Joichiro who smirked down at her. "Hi, beautiful," he whispered before leaning in to give her a kiss.

Their kiss was gentle at first, but it didn't take long before it became deep and intense as Hinata rolled onto her back with Joichiro towering over her. Their bodies were inches from each other, Joichiro kept himself up on his elbows as his right hand held her face. Despite their distance, there was a certain longing in Joichiro's kisses that made it different from their other kisses. A little while later, they were both breathless from kissing. Joichiro particularly noted Hinata's swollen lips and flushed cheeks.

As he leaned in to kiss her even more, Hinata put her hand to his chest. "We have to leave early tomorrow for the Stagiaire. We can't stay up late,"

"We're just kissing," he leaned in again, but Hinata pushed him away again, a little more forceful this time.

"Joichiro-kun," she whispered, laughing. "I'm serious."

Joichiro sighed in frustration. "It's just…I'll miss you," he confessed. Hinata reached up to hold his face. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, making sure to remember the feeling.

"It's just two weeks," Hinata whispered, running her thumb across his cheek. "I'll miss you too." They smiled at each other for a while as the moonlight spread across their faces.

After one last kiss, Joichiro flopped to his back, lifting his right arm. On instinct, Hinata crawled into his arm and leaned on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. After a few minutes, they both fell asleep as they embraced. At some point before daybreak, Joichiro carefully left her side and hastily made his way to his room, making sure no one was watching. It's a well-oiled routine that they've been doing for the past few nights.

...

The next morning they went their separate ways for the Stagiaire. Joichiro was paired with Seto Hori, while Hinata's partner for the first stage was Akiko Otsuka.

"How do you think the others are doing?" Akiko asks Hinata while they mopped the floor of the kitchen.

Hinata shrugs. "Haven't heard from anyone," she says, staring at the floor as she avoids Akiko's curious gaze.

"Even Saiba-kun?" she asks. Hinata looks up at Akiko, who shrugs casually. "I mean, you guys are together right?" Hinata continues to stare at her, a blush working its way to her cheeks. "I notice things. Something changed between you two that night of the Autumn Elections finals."

Hinata shook her head, weakly laughing. "Nothing happened. We're just friends."

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, I'm just really curious about people. It's a bad habit, I know. But Hinata…" she pauses, Hinata looks up at her. "I've seen the way he looks at you. It's not the look of someone who's just a friend." Hinata stays silent and bites the insides of her cheeks, stopping herself from smiling like an idiot and giving it all away.

They go back to cleaning and their conversation was never brought up again. But Hinata knew that she had lied. She's been hearing from Joichiro through letters. They exchanged addresses for where they will be doing the first stage of their Stagiaire and where they will be staying for the week. Although, they limited their exchange to two letters each week since it was costly.

"Dear Joichiro," her letter read. "It's good to hear that you're doing great in your Stagiaire. Akiko and I are also doing great here and we're positive that we'll pass. Honestly, it's just like back at our diner. It kind of makes me miss home. Anyway, let me know right away where you will be going for the second stage of the Stagiaire so I'll know where to send my letter. Take care of yourself and have fun. With love, Hinata."

They pass the first level of the Stagiaire and went their separate ways for the next level. For the next level of the Stagiaire, Hinata was assigned to work under Chef Kano, the head chef of Recette and Joichiro's former boss.

"So you're assigned to work for me, huh?" Chef Kano says, smiling at Hinata. "Joichiro speaks highly of you so I trust that you will be great," Hinata nodded. "But don't get me wrong, if you don't pass my standards, friend of Joichiro or not, you will fail. Is that clear?"

"Oui, chef," Hinata replies, earning a smile from the chef again.

The first two days were difficult; mostly Hinata struggled to adjust to the pace of a fine-dining French restaurant. Fortunately, she already knew most of the French cooking techniques because of her dad who taught her in middle school. But it was still worlds away from what serving in a diner is like and so she stayed up late most nights, studying. Still, it wasn't like she was doing much of a difference. She was a functional cog in the machine, yes, but she wasn't doing anything different from what had already been in place. _I have to do something before this Stagiaire ends_.

"Chef! One of the customers is requesting a cake for her birthday," the waiter said.

"Okay, Oshima-san, can you do it?" Chef Kano shouts, working on a steak himself.

"Sorry, chef, my hands are full!" Oshima shouts. Chef Kano looks around at the kitchen, everyone is busy working on something.

"I'll do it, chef!" Hinata shouts, handing over the plate of sliced vegetables to Oshima who asked for the prep a few seconds ago.

"Okay, Hinata-san, time to show me what you're worth," Chef Kano says, staring her down. "I'll need that cake when they're finished with their dinner."

"Oui, chef!" Hinata merely replies as she grabs the needed ingredients for a Yuzu Vanilla Cake with Lime Curd. Half an hour later, the said customer was already done with their dinner and Hinata was done with the cake. "Here, chef," she prepared a separate mini cake for the head chef to test.

"Hmmm…I get it now," he simply says as he tells the waiter to serve the other mini cake. Hinata stares at him curiously, he smiles at her knowingly. "I get what Joichiro sees in you,"

Hinata smiles politely. "Thank you, chef."

"Chef, the other customers are curious about the cake and also want one," the waiter returned with a smile on his face.

Chef Kano looks at Hinata who immediately nods. "I'm on it, chef," she says, rushing to make the cakes.

A few days later, someone from Totsuki approaches Hinata outside Recette. "Hinata Yukihira, you pass the Stagiaire," then she went into a town car and drove off. Hinata smiles to herself as she flags down a cab. During the train ride back to Totsuki, Hinata takes out the latest letter Joichiro sent her and read it again.

"Dear Hinata," his letter starts off. "Good luck working with Chef Kano. He's tough, but I'm sure you'll do great. I'm also doing great here in Tokyo 100. Chef Takahashi is a little hard to read like she was in training camp. I'm sure you remember. But I'm learning a lot and having fun too. I'm just taking a short break from studying to write this letter. Take care of yourself too and I hope you enjoy your stay in Recette. I sure did when I was there. I'm sure we'll both pass this Stagiaire and meet again soon. I miss you and will kiss you as soon as we see each other again. Yours, Joichiro."

Hinata hugs the folded letter to her chest, sighing. These few letters he's been sending her are what kept her going throughout the Stagiaire. They're also proof that, for all his crazy antics and jovial attitude, he has a heart and he's serious about her. Of course, his loyalty is a non-issue but Hinata can't help but grin from ear to ear whenever she reads his sign off.

* * *

The next day she returns to Polar Star, walking up the steps to the door. It flies open and Joichiro comes out, grinning. He jerks to a stop at the sight of her. Gin bumps into him, cursing under his breath. "What the—Oh…" Gin mutters before turning around to leave them alone.

"Welcome back," Joichiro says with a smile, gently closing the door behind him.

"It's good to see you again," Hinata replies, returning his smile. They exchanged a knowing look. "I'll unpack my things first. So I'll see you later? You and Gin probably have to go somewhere?"

"Yeah…" Joichiro replies, still staring at Hinata. He leans in closer, not wanting others to overhear. "I know I can't right now, but I want to kiss you. Maybe later?" He winks at Hinata, who blinks up at him and blushes a deep crimson. Then without warning, he opens the door and shouts, "Oi, Gin! Let's go!" Gin comes out of the dining room and walks over to them. Hinata steps to the side as they pass through. She watches as the two ran out of the grounds.

 _Hinata…_ Joichiro thinks as they run into the stadium for a shokugeki. _I can't wait for this match to be over so I can be with you again after all these weeks._ He grins as they walk up to their opponents.

After the shokugeki, both Joichiro and Gin won their battles. This gave them more funds and equipment to keep the dorm running. It also gave Polar Star additional land area. Joichiro went upstairs to look for Hinata.

"Hinata," he calls out, knocking on her door. "Hinata…?" Joichiro calls again when she didn't answer, slowly looking inside the room. _Hmmm…_ he thought, looking at the empty room. _Where could she be?_ He went back downstairs, checking the kitchen and dining room. Both were empty so he went outside, thinking maybe she's tending to the garden again.

Sure enough, Hinata is already there, looking over the garden as she wipes off the sweat from her forehead. "Hinata," he calls out, she looks at him. His heart skips a beat. The afternoon rays make her appear as if she's glowing, her brown eyes turn amber against the orange sunset.

"What is it?" She asks. Joichiro walks up to her and takes her hand after checking their surroundings to make sure no one's around.

"We won the shokugeki earlier," he says, grinning.

"Congratulations!" Hinata says, smiling at him.

"You're in charge of the fund for the greenhouse you wanted. We also got additional land so you can build it there." He said, looking over at the far end of the garden.

"That's great news. Thank you so much!" Without thinking, Hinata throws her arms around Joichiro and hugs him. "This means so much to me!" Joichiro laughs as he hugs her.

"I know," he simply said as she looked up at him, still grinning. He leaned in and gave her a short kiss. "Told you I'd kiss you as soon as we see each other again."

"Yeah, I thought you forgot about that," Hinata teased.

"How could I? It's all I could think of these past two weeks. I couldn't get it out of my head you know…this," he said, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "And this…" he gives her a peck on the cheek. "And especially, this…" he takes his time, building up the tension before finally kissing her on the lips.

It was a deep, breathtaking kiss. Hinata couldn't help but sigh as she melted into his arms. Joichiro pulled her closer to him as they kissed again. After what felt like ages, they pulled away from each other, gazing lovingly into each others' eyes, both glowing against the vibrant sunset.

"You know somebody might've seen us," Hinata whispered.

Joichiro shrugged and smirked. "Ahh, who cares?" Hinata chuckled. "But we should probably go inside now, it'll get dark soon."

Hinata nodded and they walked into the dorm together. Gin greeted them upon entering, leaning against the stair railing with a smirk on his face. Hinata cleared her throat and excused herself, muttering some reason before running up the stairs. Joichiro coolly walked up to Gin with a grin.

"Something you're not telling me?" Gin asked, raising an eyebrow at Joichiro who just laughed.

"Let's go do a Shokugeki right now. If you win, I'll tell you. If I win, you'll clean the bathroom." Joichiro challenged Gin.

"Deal. I get to choose the topic." Joichiro waved indifferently as they walked into the kitchen, bothering Fumio-san who is in the middle of cooking dinner.

Half an hour later, Joichiro has his arms straight on the counter as he leans against it, grinning at Gin who is sulking across from him. "You're on bathroom duty tonight, Gin," he says, laughing.

"Don't think I don't notice what's going on between you and Hinata?" Gin whispers, suddenly serious. Joichiro tilts his head and blinks at him. "Don't play dumb with me. She's a nice girl, okay? I may not know her much but I know she's not someone you can just toy with."

At his statement, Joichiro straightens up and crosses his arms over his chest. "Don't worry, I'm serious about her." Gin blinks at him, not expecting a straightforward answer from Joichiro. "I'll never do anything to hurt her, let alone toy with her," he sighs, frustrated. "Look, I promised we'd keep our relationship a secret from everyone so just keep it to yourself, okay?"

Gin nodded, still in shock at his honesty. "I'm happy for you."

Joichiro smirks. After a pause, he chuckles, "You _should_ be happy for me 'cause I get to watch you clean the bathroom later." Gin rolls his eyes at him and shakes his head. He laughs louder and throws his arm around Gin's shoulder as they walk out of the kitchen. "Come on, let's go eat dinner."

* * *

 _So there's chapter 7_

 _Omigod I'm so nervous about this one so please do leave a comment if you like it cause I'm internally panicking here lol_

 _Credits for the risotto and cake recipe goes to Katrina Meynink's Kitchen Coquette_

 _Not sponsored in any way, btw. It's just one of the cookbooks that I have so there haha_


	8. Chapter 8: Shooting Star, Falling Star 1

_So here's chapter 8! Sorry it took so long guys._

 _Yeah, this has two parts and I'll try my best to upload part two as soon as possible._

 _Thank you so so much for all the reviews!_

 _*cue ugly crying*_

 _Well, I won't keep you guys any longer. Hope you enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

Chapter 8: Shooting Star, Falling Star (Part 1)

 **1996**

"The time has come. This marks the beginning of Totsuki's Annual Moon Banquet Festival!" Headmaster Senzaemon announces to the whole school after they sang the school hymn. Hundreds of guests and visitors came pouring in right after the gates opened.

"Is everyone ready?" Gin asked. Some of the Polar Star residents joined forces to put up a booth in the Main Street Area. The small team included Gin, Joichiro, Hinata, Akiko, and a few more residents while the others decided to go with their Research Societies.

They all nodded, anticipating the rush of customers. As if on cue, people flooded the Main Street. Because of Gin and Joichiro's fame, especially since the Autumn Elections, many customers went straight to the Polar Star booth. Everyone was wondering what delicious recipes they'll get to try, expecting complex, mouth-watering recipes. Unfortunately, the menu for the Polar Star booth sparked a full-on debate a few days ago between Gin and Joichiro who had different ideas.

"It's a festival, Gin!" Joichiro yelled, slouched in his seat with one arm slung over the back of the chair as Gin stood over him with his hands on his hips. It was like watching a mother scold the living hell out of her child…who in this scenario couldn't care less.

"They expect a lot from us, Joichiro! We're the finalists from the Autumn Elections, our faces are on the front pages of the official guidebook!" Gin reasoned, grabbing the guidebook from the table and shoving it to Joichiro's face.

"I know that they'll expect a lot from us but it's a _festival_!" He said, gently pushing the guidebook aside and away from his face. "They should be enjoying takoyaki, yakisoba, and okonomiyaki; not fancy, gourmet recipes."

Gin huffed in frustration, throwing the guidebook back on the table. It landed with a loud thud, making Hinata jump in her seat. Everyone quietly watched the two as they continued to argue for the next two hours, deciding between serving gourmet meals or traditional street food.

During the course of their argument, their fellow dorm-mates left one by one, leaving Hinata as the sole spectator. At first, she was sympathetic to both camps, but after the third shokugeki that they had her judge to see which cuisine should be served for the festival, she has had enough.

"Let's have one more shokugeki!" Joichiro proposes, leaning over the table and pointing a finger at Gin who is glaring at him in equal measure. "All or nothing. If Hinata decides that my yakisoba is more delicious than—"

"We can't keep having her as a judge, how about we let Fumio-san decide for our fourth match? No offense, Hinata," he says, glancing over at her before looking back at Joichiro. "But you guys are, well, dating—"

"Are you saying she's been choosing _my_ dishes because we're _together_? That's—"

"Okay, that's enough!" Hinata shouts, standing up from her seat at the far end of the table, slamming her palms on the wooden surface. Their heads whip around to look at her, clearly stunned. "I'm sorry to interrupt like this, but this discussion is getting out of hand. There's no reason why we cannot fuse your ideas together. If you had just stopped butting heads for two seconds and actually listened you'd realize that." They continue to stare at her. Gin looked sheepish while Joichiro smirked at her, mildly amused. "We can serve Japanese street food with a gourmet twist. What do you guys think?"

Hinata half-expected them to ignore her and continue arguing, but instead, they slowly nodded. "That's actually not a bad idea," Joichiro said. "What do you think, Gin?"

Gin smiled. "We could do that," Hinata sighed in relief. "How about we brainstorm for a while then meet again tomorrow to pitch our ideas?" Gin said.

"Okay, yeah. Let's do that. You tell the others to do the same thing, alright—?" Joichiro said as he grabbed Hinata's hand and gently pulled her out of the dining room.

"But—" Gin complained.

"See you tomorrow!" He shouted, ignoring Gin's protests as he waved goodbye. Hinata looked behind her and mouthed an apology to Gin as Joichiro led her out of the room.

Fortunately, the meetings after that night were more peaceful and everyone presented their own ideas for what they should serve at the Moon Banquet Festival. Eventually, it came down to three items for their menu: Cream Cheese & Mentaiko (Salted Pollock Roe) Takoyaki, Jidori Chicken Karaage, and Kashiwa Mochi. Each had their own additional spin to the traditional recipe.

"Two karaage, one takoyaki, one mochi!" Gin called out to the team. Everyone focused on their workplaces: Gin and two others worked on the Takoyaki, while Joichiro and Hinata were assigned to the Karaage along with two more people. Akiko is in charge of the mochi, while also operating the cashier. It was a small tent but they had no problems, their movements were coordinated like a well-rehearsed choreography…or rather, _exactly_ like a well-rehearsed choreography.

The day before the start of the festival, Gin insisted on having a "dry run" in the dorm kitchen. Fumio-san and a few other friends acted like actual customers and aside from practicing their teamwork, they were also able to work on their recipe. Of course, everyone except for Joichiro was on board with the idea.

"Why do we have to rehearse this, Gin?" Joichiro complained, leaning on the counters as Gin and Hinata prepped the ingredients for the pretend-"shop opening" later that day.

"Because we have multiple stations and a lot of things could get lost in translation during the event itself. We have to be prepared and our teamwork this week should be solid," Gin explained as he chopped vegetables for the takoyaki.

"But—"

"I don't have time for your complaints, Joichiro. You and Hinata are in charge of the Karaage station. Do you really want to leave her to work on the karaage alone today?" Gin said, still focusing on his chopping board. Hinata smirked.

Joichiro sighed and threw his hands in the air. _Damn you, Gin. You and your guilt-tripping ways,_ he thought as he made his way to Hinata's side. "What do you need me to do?"

"Prep the chicken," she said before trying out the marinade she's been mixing.

"We're here!" Akiko shouted as the rest of the team entered the kitchen. They all carried boxes and bags full of ingredients. "The rest of the supplies will be delivered later today," she explained.

"That's great. Akiko and Rikku, start on the mochi. The rest of you can help Hinata and Joichiro with the karaage since that has to be marinated overnight," Gin said.

Everyone went to work and later that day, both the supplies and their "customers" had arrived. Adjustments had to be made for the first few orders, but after a while, both their recipe and coordination were already secured.

Until the fourth day of the Moon Banquet Festival, the Polar Star booth consistently held the top spot for the Main Street Area. It was a little daunting to maintain the streak at first, but after a rousing speech by Gin on the last day, they all remembered to focus on serving the customers and not on the profit.

"Good evening, everyone!" Ayame Kanda announced through the speakers, her voice echoing throughout the campus. "The total sales tally for the final day is in! In the Main Street Area, the third place goes to…Medicinal Cuisine RS!"

Hinata smiled, suddenly recalling the conversation she had with the Medicinal Cuisine RS president about her joining Polar Star instead of them. _I'm glad for them,_ she thought as she stopped daydreaming.

"The first place goes to Polar Star!"

Everyone jumped up and cheered. They congratulated each other while Ayame continued to announce the top earners in the other areas of the festival. After hugging everyone, Hinata went over to the side. Joichiro then made his way to the others, passing behind Hinata.

"Oi, Gin!" He called out as he positioned himself in front of Hinata, hiding his hand from view. For the briefest moment, he let his fingers gently touch Hinata's before squeezing her hand. Hinata froze and looked up at Joichiro who kept his eyes on Gin. Her heart raced as she did her best not to smile. Their hands separated after what felt like a millisecond as Joichiro reached up to clap Gin's shoulder.

They barely had time for each other all week because of the festival. Joichiro often fell asleep in the kitchen because he and Gin continued to fine-tune their recipes up to the last night. Hinata would flip and flop all night as she waited for him to arrive.

"Joichiro," Hinata whispered as she made her way into the kitchen. "Aren't you going to—" she stopped upon seeing Joichiro slumped over the counter, snoring. Hinata smiled at the sight before grabbing a blanket upstairs to cover him.

"Great job, guys!" Joichiro shouted and the entire team cheered again.

"Now let's clear out the booth so we can celebrate back at the dorm," Gin announced.

After packing up their things, they returned to Polar Star and partied. Although the party didn't last long because the exhaustion eventually hit everyone at some point, some earlier than others including Hinata who headed upstairs after just a while.

Hinata lied still on her side, her head perching on her folded arms. She could faintly hear the sound of the party downstairs, but the exhaustion had already seeped to her bones and was putting her to sleep faster than ever. Slowly, her eyes fluttered to a close and started to fall asleep.

Joichiro looked around the room after they all sang Moonlight Densetsu which Akiko initiated, being a huge fan of Sailor Moon. _Did Hinata go upstairs already?_ He thought, looking into the kitchen. It was empty so he left his cup at the sink and went upstairs to go look for her. As silently as possible, he opened the door to Hinata's room to see if she was inside. Upon seeing her sleeping, Joichiro smiled faintly and walked into the room, closing the door behind him.

"Joichiro…?" Hinata whispered as her eyes slowly fluttered open and looked up at him. He only smiled, taking off his shoes before lying down beside her.

For a few seconds, they just lied on their side, staring at each other with a tired look on their faces. Joichiro slowly touched the side of her face, still quiet. Hinata reached up as he began to pull his hand away and repositioned his hand where it was on her cheek. She leaned into his touch, sighing. Joichiro felt a tug on the corner of his mouth as his heart skipped a beat.

"I've missed you," he whispered.

"Me too," Hinata whispered back, smiling up at him. She slowly closed her eyes as she continued to hold onto his wrist.

Joichiro stayed silent for a while, thinking she just wanted to remember his touch. "I have a shokugeki tomorrow, by the way. Would you like to watch?" he asked. Hinata stayed silent. "I like seeing you when I cook, especially in a shokugeki, knowing you're up there motivates me to give it my all," he continued, running his thumb back and forth across her cheek.

After Hinata continued to be quiet, Joichiro chuckled. _She's fallen asleep._ He leaned in carefully to kiss her softly in the forehead. After lying back down, he watched her for a while, still not moving his hand from her face. He noted the strands of hair that had fallen over her eyes, her soft, cherry lips as they parted delicately, and her chest as they rose and fell in sync with her breathing. As he watched her, Joichiro started to feel the fatigue that the adrenaline kept at bay. His eyes slowly closed after a while and he fell asleep alongside her, still holding her face in his hand.

...

"Joichiro!" A voice shouted repeatedly through the metal pipes. "Oi, Joichiro! Wake up!" Joichiro's eyes flew open as it called out again. The first thing he noticed was Hinata's face inches away from his. _I must've fallen asleep last night_ , he thought. As he tried to stand up, he noticed his hand which is trapped underneath Hinata's. "We have a shokugeki in one hour, Joichiro! Get down here!" Gin shouted again through the metal pipe. Joichiro cursed internally as he tried to get himself out of the cover, hoping Gin's announcement won't wake her up. Hinata's eyes fluttered open. _Too late,_ he thought as Hinata looked up at him with sleepy eyes.

"Joichiro…?" she whispered, still holding his hand.

"Good morning," he whispered back, leaning on his elbow to kiss her gently on the lips. "Sorry I fell asleep here—"

"It's okay," she said softly, tugging his shirt as she bit her lip. With a smirk, Joichiro leaned in closer to give Hinata another kiss. She slowly opened her eyes after their kiss, looking up at him dreamily. "I could get used to this."

"Well, in that case…" Joichiro started to lean in closer again.

The door flew open as someone walked into the room. They both looked at their intruder.

"Joichiro," Gin said, stoically staring at them with his arms crossed on his chest. Joichiro glared at Gin, while Hinata tried her best to hide under the blanket. She would've succeeded if only the cloth wasn't pinned down by Joichiro's knee.

"Gin, if you haven't noticed, I'm kind of in the middle of something." Joichiro mockingly said. They continued to glare at each other as Gin walked closer.

"We have a shokugeki in one hour. Unless you want to lose by default, I suggest you _get moving._ " Gin said, not amused with Joichiro. "Good morning, Hinata-san," he politely said to Hinata who awkwardly smiled up at him. "Aren't you late for class?" With a gasp, Hinata sat up immediately and scrambled off the bed, ignoring Joichiro's protests as she gathers her things. "At least your girlfriend is responsible. Why don't you follow suit?" Joichiro rolled his eyes at him as they left Hinata's room. "I'll meet you downstairs in thirty minutes," Gin walked away from Joichiro as the latter entered his room to get his things.

After half an hour, Joichiro and Hinata went downstairs together to meet Gin in the foyer. They all walked silently together as an awkward tension hung in the air. Gin walked in front of them as they strode beside each other. Every now and then, Joichiro looks down at Hinata and smirks as she does her best to stare straight ahead. Hinata then blushes faintly which only makes Joichiro chuckle. Gin turns to look whenever he chuckles or stifles a laugh and Joichiro mockingly raises his eyebrows at him, earning a glare from Gin before he looks straight ahead again. Ten minutes later, they arrive at the road going to the shokugeki hall. The building looms in the distance and somehow looks _alive_.

"I'm sorry I won't be there to watch," Hinata said, looking up at Joichiro.

"It's okay, I have dozens more lined up for this week," Joichiro replied as he walked closer to Hinata. "I'll see you later," he lifts her chin up gently and leans in close to kiss Hinata who mutters a protest, glancing over at Gin who uneasily looks away. "Don't mind him," Joichiro whispers. Before Hinata could argue any further, he presses his lips gently against hers.

If Hinata had any more arguments in her mind, they all faded away the moment his lips touched hers. _Damn you, Joichiro,_ she thought as she melted into his arms which found its way around her. Seconds later, she looked up at him. "I'll see you later," she said, breathless.

Joichiro smirks but loses his smile right away. "Are you okay? You look a little pale." He reached up and cupped her face to look closely. Hinata gently swatted his hands away.

"I'm just a little dizzy, that's all. Don't worry about me, you have to go," she said, smiling weakly.

"Are you sure?" He said, his eyebrows furrowing in concern.

Hinata nodded. "Go get 'em," she said.

Joichiro still didn't look convinced and stared at her for a little longer. Hinata looked over at Gin. As if reading her mind, Gin clapped Joichiro's shoulder. "Let's go, Joichiro," Gin said, pulling his shoulder a little more forceful this time. Hinata smiled at Joichiro again.

He sighed and gave her a final kiss on the forehead before running with Gin into the building. Hinata watched as they disappeared behind the double door entrance. After the adrenaline of being with Joichiro had passed, Hinata staggered back and sat on the nearest bench. She sighed, resting her head on her hands. She's been feeling a little faint since she got out of the shower. Granted they didn't have time to eat breakfast, but she could tell it was different. After a minute, she continued her walk to class, taking her time even though she was already late.

She arrived to class an hour late, still feeling lightheaded. The French recipe of the day is written on the board, Hinata cursed inwardly as she read the recipe _. I don't have enough time_. _That explains why they're looking at me like that_ , she thought as she looked over at her classmates who looked at her with pity. With only half an hour left, Hinata decided to soldier on and grab the ingredients, shocking her classmates who now have gone beyond looks and are whispering to each other.

"She's not going to make it," one of her classmates whispered.

Ignoring them all, she decided to continue according to the recipe. While she cooked, Hinata kept breathing in deeply, trying to focus while feeling weak. After thirty minutes had passed, Hinata reluctantly approached the instructor with her dish.

"Although you tried to make the meat tender with onions, you still didn't have enough time to make it tender _enough_. Yukihira Hinata, you get an E," he said handing back the plate to her.

Hinata silently took the plate and cleaned up her station. As she walked out of the classroom, the instructor handed over a paper with her grade, a huge 'E' in red ink marked on the upper right corner. Hinata stuffed the paper into her bag as she headed to her next class. She arrived in time, but she could barely listen and only focused when the instructor started to hand out exam sheets.

"Damn," she muttered to herself, remembering that they have an exam today on 'Restaurant Profit and Loss Statement'. The numbers and letters flew around the page as Hinata struggled to answer the exam. Knowing that she had studied last week for this exam frustrated her even more as she clutched on to her pen tightly, her knuckles getting alarmingly whiter by the second.

An hour later, they all handed over their exam papers. Hinata sighed, not the least bit confident that she'll pass the exam. The students started to walk out of the building to eat lunch. Still feeling nauseous and weak, Hinata stumbled into the bathroom and puked in the nearest stall. She cleaned herself up afterwards, silently thanking her luck that no one else was in the bathroom while she heaved her guts. She didn't want to explain this Joichiro, knowing he'd drop everything and rush to her side if he found out.

Skipping lunch, Hinata decided to rest on a nearby bench and sip tea instead, as it was all she could stomach at the moment. The mere idea of food immediately made her insides flip. Her next two classes passed by in a blur, literally as Hinata's vision continued to blur as she felt like passing out at any moment. Although she recalls failing them both as she forgot to season her dish in the first class, while she overcooked the meat in the second class. Hinata walked back to Polar Star afterwards, her bag feeling heavier than it did this morning, inside her failed test results swung against her knife set.

The dorm was silent as most of the residents were in their research societies or out buying ingredients. Hinata went into her room, immediately grabbing the papers from her bag and hiding them in her desk drawer. She stuffed it underneath her box of medicinal herbs, spices, and tea leaves, hoping Joichiro would never find them.

After drinking some more tea, Hinata went downstairs for dinner. Joichiro and Gin arrived soon afterwards, beaming as they announced their win. Everyone gathered around the duo, congratulating them. Hinata stayed in her seat, smiling at Joichiro when their eyes met. "Congratulations," she said as he sat down next to her for dinner.

"Thanks," he said, grinning.

"With our win, we were able to secure some suppliers for the dorm. That'll save us a lot of time and energy so we can focus on our cooking," Gin explained to everyone as they ate dinner. There was another chorus of positive remarks, gratitude, and praise.

Later that night as Hinata laid in bed, she couldn't stop thinking about her day. _This is bad_ , she kept thinking to herself. _Do I tell Joichiro? What exactly do I tell him? 'Congratulations for winning earlier. By the way, I failed all of my classes today'? I can't do that. No, he doesn't have to know. I was just a little dizzy today. It doesn't mean I can't continue studying. Does it…?_

As Hinata pondered on her future in Totsuki, Joichiro walked into the room, smiling from ear to ear. _I can't take that smile away from him. He can't know,_ she thought. _I mean, look at him._ Hinata giggled as Joichiro did a little dance while he sauntered over to her bed, humming a song Hinata couldn't recognize. When he got to her side, she expected him to take off his shoes and lie beside her. Instead, he reached over and pulled her off the bed, still humming. Hinata stifled a shriek as she stumbled off the bed.

"Joichiro, what are you doing?" She asked, steadying herself. Ignoring her questions, he wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her closer. He raises his other hand which is still holding hers, then he starts to sway their bodies. "We need music if you want to dance," she said, laughing.

Pausing, Joichiro looked at her intently, and then swiftly left the room. Hinata stood silently in the middle of her room, stunned by his sudden departure. He came back moments later, a portable radio in his hand. After plugging the device onto the wall, he listened intently while looking for a proper FM station. Joichiro stopped scanning when he heard the guitar intro to a familiar song and turned the volume loud enough.

"I know this song," Hinata said. Joichiro smiles at her as he takes her hand, resuming his hold on her minutes ago. 'True Love' by Fujii Fumiya fills the room as they sway slowly. Hinata could feel Joichiro's breath on her skin as he hums along to the song. Sighing, she rests her head on his chest and closes her eyes, listening to his heartbeat as it blends with the music.

Joichiro looks down at Hinata as she leans on him. He smiles as they continue to sway gently. _These past few weeks have been amazing. And she's in the middle of all that. I swear I don't know what I'd do without her by my side._ Joichiro gulps as he feels his chest tighten at the thought of not being with her. _I'm in love with her. I'm sure. There's no other explanation._

"Hinata…" he whispers. Hinata looks up at him and Joichiro stares, his words dying in his mouth. "I…" he tries to continue as he leaned in closer, her eyes pulling him in deeper.

 _"My eyes are only on you. It's got to be you ohhh,_ " the song goes, echoing throughout the room. _"After all, we were always dreaming of a future; a future far away from us…"_

As the song ends with some acoustic strumming, Joichiro decides against telling her and kisses her instead. Hinata closes her eyes and sighs upon breathing in the familiar scent of sandalwood and citrus. She wraps her hands around his neck as he embraces her closer to him. The station switches the song to 'More Than Words' by Extreme. As they continued to kiss, the acoustic ballad grew fainter in their ears.

* * *

For the next two weeks, Joichiro continued to go on shokugekis and contests outside the school, winning awards all over Japan. With his back to back competitions and matches, they barely had time alone aside from sleeping beside each other on most nights. After the day that Hinata now refers to as the 'day that never happened,' she didn't feel sick again, much to her delight.

Until one day she woke up with a massive headache, she squinted at the sunlight pouring in through her window. Joichiro was no longer beside her and going by the coldness of his side of the bed, he's been gone for quite some time. Hinata groaned. _This can't be happening,_ she thought as she massages her temples. _I have two practical exams today and another written test for Diet and Nutrition._ Sighing, she pushes herself to get out of the bed and into the shower.

One hour later, she finds herself wincing at the noise of the classroom as the instructor revealed the recipe for today's practical exam. It was an easy enough recipe that you didn't need a partner, which was unfortunate for Hinata who stifled a groan every time someone would carelessly bang a pot or pan onto the stove. Half an hour later, she presented her dish.

"Did you read the recipe?" The instructor asked her, earning a few looks from her classmates. "It said use parsley, not cilantro. This is such a rookie mistake, what were you thinking?" Hinata blinked, staring at the plate the instructor shoved back into her hands. _I could've sworn I used parsley,_ she thought _._ "You get an 'E'" he said, handing over a failed exam paper that had already been familiar to Hinata.

The headache she's been nursing throughout the morning became worse at the sight of her exam paper marked with the giant, red 'E' in the corner. Hastily washing her dishes and cleaning the counter, Hinata left the classroom with a heavy heart. _This can't be happening,_ she thought for the second time that day as she walked towards her next class.

"You have one hour to complete the test. You may begin," the instructor for 'Diet and Nutrition' class announced as everyone received their exam sheets.

Not wanting to fail another test for the day, Hinata decided to take her time answering each question. Although her headache made it clear that reading any faster is impossible. When the instructor announced that they only have fifteen minutes left, Hinata's eyes widened as she scanned the remaining pages of the exam. _Two more pages,_ she thought, panicking…which only made her head throb more.

Fifteen minutes later, the instructor asked everyone to submit their exam sheets. Hinata managed to finish her test on time and left the classroom immediately after passing hers. After having some food in her, Hinata felt her headache ease a little. She strolled to her next class, stopping at the sight of Joichiro who's already inside the classroom, inspecting his knives. She did her best not to smile widely as she caught the whispers of her fellow classmates who are in awe of Joichiro. Of course, after winning countless shokugekis and out-of-school competitions, he became famous throughout campus. Then again, they're not the only ones shocked at the sight of him. Hinata had to blink a few times to make sure she isn't hallucinating and Joichiro actually attended class.

She walked over to the counter opposite his. He looked up and smiled at her. She returned his smile before unrolling her bag of knives on the counter to inspect them.

"Are you okay?" he asked, staring at Hinata. "You seem different."

"It's nothing, just a headache," she said, shrugging.

Before Joichiro could prod her further, the instructor went into the classroom announcing the practical test. "You need to partner with another classmate for this exam," he said. Joichiro immediately looked at Hinata who glanced at him at the same time. He smirked, excited at the idea of cooking with Hinata again after a long time.

After the instructor gave them the signal to start cooking, Hinata and Joichiro immediately went to work and rushed to get the needed ingredients. Once they had what they needed, they started to prep. Joichiro looked up after putting the quail into the oven. He smiled at the sight of Hinata as she continued to work on the garnishes, her eyebrows furrowing. Like they always have been, they only needed a few words between them whenever they cooked together. Joichiro always felt at ease whenever he cooked with her, something that's rare to find. After all, the kitchen is one of the least relaxing places on earth; if you're a Totsuki student, that is.

 _But somehow beyond the chaos of the kitchen and the stress of presenting an excellent dish, there she is,_ he thought. _She's like a lighthouse guiding me whenever I feel like a ship lost at sea._ As if sensing his thoughts, she looks up at him and smiles for a second before continuing her work on the sauce. Joichiro went back to the oven to baste the quail. _How the hell did I get here?_ He thought while starting to work on the potato, pear, and blue cheese gratin. _One year ago, I would never have thought I'd be this head over heels for a girl. This school is changing me in more ways than one,_ he thought, chuckling to himself as he shook his head.

Hinata looked up at Joichiro as she noticed him chuckling while slicing potatoes. While guessing what's running through his mind, Hinata noticed that her headache is considerably gone. Although there is still some dull pain in the back of her head, most of it is already fading fast. _You know what that's called? Its love,_ her mind mockingly tells her. Shutting down her thoughts, she decided to busy herself and get their presentation plate from the cupboard.

Half an hour later, they presented their dish to the instructor. She didn't even hesitate for a second and immediately gave them an 'A'. After cleaning up their station, Hinata and Joichiro walked out of the classroom together. When Hinata got out of the changing room, she notices Joichiro waiting for her outside.

"Will you be attending the other classes for today?" She asks, looking up at Joichiro as they walked slowly side by side.

"No, I have another shokugeki in thirty minutes," he said, glancing at his watch. Hinata nods slowly. "I just needed to see you before I go into match again."

"What for?" Hinata asks as they stare at each other, stopping to stand in the middle of the empty hall.

"For this," he whispers, leaning close to kiss her. As they kiss, he couldn't help but note the taste of vinaigrette still lingering in her mouth. Joichiro reaches up to cup her face in his hand. The tips of his fingers weave through her scalp as her soft hair brushes against the back of his hand.

Absent-mindedly, Hinata grabs his necktie and pulls him closer, deepening their kiss. Joichiro made a low noise at the back of his throat as they stumble back against the locker. Joichiro presses his body against hers. Hinata bites back a whimper as she becomes acutely aware of his leg in between hers, the fabric of his pants rubbing against the bare skin of her inner thighs as her skirt hikes up.

Joichiro suddenly realizes exactly how much he misses her, having barely seen her for the past two weeks. His mind runs to the empty classroom behind them and seriously considers missing his shokugeki just so he could have more time with Hinata.

The sound of footsteps echoed throughout the hall, breaking the silence and tension in the air. As if electrified, Joichiro jumps away from Hinata, clearing his throat. Hinata steps away from the locker and hastily smoothes down her skirt and hair, blushing heavily. They walk away as the sound of people get closer, exchanging meaningful glances as they turn the corner.

As they stand in front of the lecture hall for the next class, Hinata peeks inside and notices that the lecturer has already started his lesson. She walks over to Joichiro who is casually leaning on the opposite wall, his hands in his pockets.

"I'm sorry for not being with you much these past two weeks," he said, looking at her guiltily. "I promise I'll make it up to you."

Hinata smiles at him. "You have nothing to apologize for. I'm proud of you," she said. Joichiro smiles back at her. "I mean, sure, I'd love to get some alone time with you. But don't ever apologize for going after your dreams, okay?" she said, playing with his necktie which hung loosely around his neck.

He silently takes her hands in his and kisses them gently. "I have to go. Gin's going to kick my ass if I'm late," he said with a chuckle. "But I'll see you back at the dorm later."

Hinata nods with a smile on her face. After one last kiss, Joichiro walked out of the building. She watched him walk away before slipping into the classroom, hoping the lecturer didn't notice her.

...

After the last class of the day, Hinata passed by the market to buy some ingredients before heading home to Polar Star. As she walked into the dorm, she ran into Fumio-san who was going through a pile of letters. "Oh, Hinata, a letter just arrived for you. Here," Fumio said, handing over a letter with just her name on the envelope.

"Thank you, Fumio-san," she said, taking the letter with her free hand before heading upstairs to her room. She set down the bag of ingredients on the counter as soon as she got inside, staring at the letter in her other hand. As Hinata walked over to sit on her bed, she gently opened the envelope and took out the letter inside. Silently, she read the letter from start to finish. After reading the letter, she read it again a few more times to make sure she read correctly.

 _I'm screwed,_ Hinata thought as the contents of the letter rang through her mind. _One more failure and I'm out of Totsuki._ She sighed heavily, still holding the paper in her hand. _This can't be happening_.

Still reeling and panicking, Hinata took the letter and stuffed it in her drawer along with her other failed exam papers. For a moment, she stayed there kneeling on the floor as she stared at her box of medicinal powders, knowing what's hidden underneath. Her heart pounded in her chest. _Should I tell Joichiro?_

Someone knocked on the door, snapping Hinata out of her thoughts. She immediately gets up and walks over to the door. As she opens the door, she smiles, expecting Joichiro. Her smile falls suddenly at the sight of her unexpected visitor. Azami Nakamura stood in front of her, smiling politely. Hinata shivered inwardly, something about him unnerved her.

"Nakamura-san, I wasn't expecting to see you here." She said, doing her best to smile back.

"I know. You were expecting Saiba-senpai." He said as-a-matter-of-factly. Hinata stared at him, speechless. "It's a perk of being an underclassman. People don't often notice you and so you get to observe a lot of things. Don't worry. I understand you are keeping your relationship private from everyone. I won't reveal your secret." Hinata continued to stare at him. "Anyway, you are probably busy so I won't waste your time any more than I have to. I am challenging you to a shokugeki," he said, handing over a letter to her, 'shokugeki' clearly inked in the front.

Hinata took the letter silently. "I'm not sure there's anything you could possibly want from me," she said, unfolding the paper.

"Well, I won't be taking something from _you_ , exactly…" he said. Hinata quickly scanned the letter, doubling back on the conditions. "You see, I want your research society's kitchen. And I already spoke to your president and he's okay with having you represent them."

Hinata looks back up at him. "What if I say no?" she said.

"That's too bad," Azami said, not looking the least bit bothered. "Because I don't see it," he continued.

"See what?" she asked.

"I don't see what Saiba-senpai sees in you," he said. Hinata blinked at him, her hand unconsciously tightening around the shokugeki letter. "But if you're sure with your decision—"

"Alright, I'll do it." Azami smiled again, grating her nerves further. "On one condition," she said.

"Name it," he said.

"Joichiro can _never_ know about this. Do we have a deal?" she asked, extending her hand.

"Deal," Azami said, clasping her hand in his as they shake hands briefly. "I will see you in one week, Hinata-san," he said before walking away.

Hinata stared at his back for a few more seconds, seething in her place before slamming the door behind her. She immediately stashed the shokugeki letter in her drawer, along with the other unspeakable papers. With her heart still pounding in her chest and her eyes stinging from holding back tears, Hinata stood in the middle of her room, trying to gather herself. Every inch of her being wanted to shout, punch the wall, or fall into a deep sleep that would last a week. Breathing in and out deeply, Hinata kept herself from doing any of the three options running through her mind.

Moments later, Fumio-san called everyone downstairs for dinner. No longer angry, but dazed, Hinata went down to the dining room where the rest of the dorm already gathered. Joichiro was already there, talking to Azami about how he won his latest shokugeki. Hinata could feel a deep burn rise up again to her chest, but she breathed through it and sat down quietly instead.

 _The topic is medicinal cuisine. Surely I know more about that than he does, right? I mean, he's not even interested in taking over the research society. He just wants the freaking kitchen. Who does that?_ Hinata thought to herself as she stares at the tempura bowl in front of her. She could faintly hear the sound of someone calling her and Hinata turns to look. It's Akiko, her lips are moving but Hinata could barely register what she's saying.

"I'm sorry?" Hinata asked, finally coming to her senses.

"I asked you if you wanted more tempura," Akiko said, handing over the bowl of deep-fried tempura.

"Oh, no, thanks," she replied. Looking across the table, Hinata met the stare of Joichiro who raised his eyebrows at her as if to ask her if she's okay. She only smiled, avoiding his gaze. Over his shoulder, she spotted Azami who was also staring at her with an evil glint in his eyes. "Excuse me," Hinata said, hurriedly leaving.

Joichiro stared after Hinata who suddenly left the dinner table without even taking a bite of her food. His first instinct was to get up and follow her. But then as he looked around the room, he noticed that everyone was watching Hinata as she left. _It'll raise questions if I go after her,_ he thought, fighting the urge to run out of the room. After a few seconds of awkward silence had passed, everything went back to normal, although Joichiro lost the mood for conversation. Instead, he kept staring at the door and the clock, trying to gauge when he can leave without drawing attention.

When everyone gathered in someone's room on the second floor, Joichiro quietly slipped from the crowd and went up to Hinata's room. He quietly went inside her room after making sure the coast was clear. "Hinata?" he called out as he found Hinata slicing up some vegetables at her counter. Joichiro went over to her side when she remained silent. "Are you okay? Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing, don't worry about me," she said, still fixated at her chopping board.

"Hey," he whispered, gently pulling her hands away from the knife and vegetables. The knife fell with a soft thud as she let go. "I could tell something's wrong. Please, tell me. What is it?"

"Like I said, it's just a headache. Nothing to worry about," she said as she finally looked at him.

Joichiro blinked at the sight of her eyes. They were dull and lifeless, lacking the usual glow they had. She smiled, but even that didn't help. Her smile looked tight and forced as if she knows he's not buying her con. He gulped as he pictured himself facing down an unmoving wall.

"If you say so," he said, dejected. "Well, what are you working on? Anything I could do to help?"

Hinata dropped her smile and immediately pulled her hands away from his, returning to her chopping board. "No, it's just a small project for my research society. I can handle it."

"Are you sure? I've got some free time on my hands. I can—"

"I'm sure. Get some rest, Saiba-kun. You have a busy day tomorrow," she replied coldly without as much as a look over her shoulder.

Joichiro sighed and sat down on her bed, staring at Hinata. "Come to bed when you're done," he said. She absentmindedly hummed in response. After one last look, Joichiro lied down and went to sleep.

"Damn," Hinata whispered as she looked up at the clock, its hands pointing to 3 and 6. _This isn't good enough,_ she thought, looking down at her practice dish. _But I need some sleep or else I'll collapse._

Hinata cleaned up her counter and stored her dish in the refrigerator before sitting down at her bed. She looked at Joichiro, who was sleeping soundly, his arms outstretched in front of him as he lay on his side. _I'm not good enough for you,_ she thought. _But I can't just walk away._

"Hinata…? Are you done?" Joichiro whispered, blinking up at Hinata who smiled faintly. He glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's three o'clock. You should sleep. Come here," he continued, pulling Hinata's hand.

Hinata climbed on the bed, snuggling into his arms. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Hmm?" Joichiro hummed, looking down at Hinata.

"I said, I'm sleepy," she said, smiling up at him.

Joichiro leaned in to give her a kiss. "Get some rest," he said before closing his eyes.

* * *

For the rest of the week, Hinata focused her time and energy to creating a medicinal dish that could get Azami off her back. She could barely attend her classes and even if she did, she slept through the lectures. Joichiro continued to ask her about her "project," especially since she stayed up late most nights, but Hinata couldn't find the courage to be honest with him. It pained her to lie, but she thought that the alternative of having him help her is even more painful.

For Hinata, this shokugeki means much more than just defending her research society from Azami. She also has to prove to everyone that she's meant to be in Totsuki and she's not riding on the coattails of Joichiro. Especially after receiving her probation letter from the school administration, Hinata feels that this match will result in much more than losing or earning kitchens.

 _On the last night before the match, Hinata woke up to an empty bed. She looked around the dark room, looking for Joichiro. The room felt colder than usual. Hugging her sweater closer to her body, she walked out of her room. Hinata stared at the dark hallway of their dorm. Everything seems to be a little darker and colder than usual. She took a step, the wood squeaked underneath her foot, the sound echoing through the building. It's also eerily quiet, she thought as she went across the hall to Joichiro's room. She looked inside and it was empty. But not just empty like her room had been, it was just plain darkness._

 _There wasn't even an ounce of light in the room. She took a step forward, calling out his name. Hinata was only a few steps in when the darkness enveloped her. Panicking, she could feel something rise up in her throat as she rushed out of his room. She slammed the door shut as she ran back into her own room, screaming when she saw the same darkness as she opened her door. Hinata stumbled back staring at the door to what should've been her room. Her heart beat unevenly as she decided to run downstairs, calling out everyone's names, hoping that one of them will appear. When she got to the main door, no one was around. The building remained silent, save for her heavy breathing._

 _Slowly she saw the walls turning to black as if the darkness was slowly eating away at the building. Screaming, Hinata ran out of Polar Star and continued to run when the darkness had closed around the entire dorm. Breathless, Hinata pushed herself to keep running as the shadow continued to chase her. Within seconds, it was already inches away from her feet. Hinata panicked even more, tears fell down her face as she felt herself getting weaker. The shadow was about to close in on her, when…_

Hinata gasped, breathing heavily and clutching at her chest as she sat up. _It's just a dream,_ she convinced herself over and over. She closed her eyes tightly, feeling warm tears running down her face.

"Hinata, are you okay?" Joichiro whispered. She could feel his hand reassuringly rubbing the small of her back. "I'm here, it's just a dream."

She continued to cry, feeling the pressure of tomorrow's match getting to her, more severely than it had the past few days. Joichiro wrapped his arms around her, kissing her shoulder and hushing tenderly. Hinata stopped crying after a while and he wiped away her tears with his shirt.

"Come on, let's go back to sleep," he said, gently pulling her to his embrace.

Tired and resigned, Hinata allowed herself to be pulled into his arms. Joichiro fell asleep within seconds and was snoring soon after. On the other hand, Hinata did her best to sleep as she forced her eyes shut. She chuckled in her mind at her futile attempt. The hours passed by and she spent the time listening to Joichiro's heartbeat and the ticking of the clock.

When it was two hours before her match, Hinata gingerly got out of Joichiro's embrace and went to the bath. She took her time, washing her hair and scrubbing her skin lazily. Still numb from her breakdown last night, Hinata silently grabbed her knife bag from her room. Before walking out of the room, she glanced over at Joichiro who was still asleep. He had shifted from his earlier position and was now sprawled on her bed. Hinata felt her heart tighten at the sight and then it raced for no reason. She felt her wrist for a pulse and worried for a moment when it's a little erratic. _It's just nerves,_ she thought as she walked out of the room.

While walking, Hinata blinked when she started to see stars. At the same time, she also felt lightheaded and weak at the knees. _You have to calm down, Hinata,_ she scolded herself as she continued to head for the shokugeki hall. The changing room was empty as she got inside. Still feeling faint, Hinata took a moment and sat on the floor to gather herself before changing into her cooking uniform.

 _It's just a cooking battle. You just have to cook better than him. You can do this,_ Hinata reassured herself as she buttoned up her coat. She opened her eyes and stumbled for a moment, steadying herself on the locker door. _Calm down. You can do this_. Breathing heavily, Hinata glanced at the clock. She has exactly two minutes to go to the arena.

She walked out of the changing room, carrying her bag of knives in her hand. Hinata gulped as she strolled down the empty, silent hallway. As her breathing quickened, her throat tightened and her mouth felt drier by the second. Staring down the double doors leading to the arena, she summoned every bit of strength she has left to walk through. Azami is already there in his cooking uniform, his arms crossed on his chest. He smiles at the sight of her. Hinata's heart races as she takes in the sight of the judges and the small audience. _This is it,_ she thinks as cold sweat runs down her back.

"Glad you made it," Azami said, still smiling.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," she sniped, trying to sound tough as she tries to blink away the stars in her vision again.

"The topic is medicinal cuisine. You both have one hour. Begin," one of the judges said when Hinata and Azami made their way to their stations.

...

Joichiro woke up to the sound of birds chirping near Hinata's window. He kept his eyes closed, reaching over to the other side of the bed, expecting Hinata beside him. His eyes flew open when his hand felt nothing but cold sheets. "Hinata?" he called out, sitting up.

He immediately looked at her desk where she usually placed her knife bag. It was empty aside from a calendar and a few books on medicinal cuisine. _Did she go to class?_ He thought, looking up at the clock. _But she would wake me up if she did. So where is she?_

Joichiro threw the blanket off him and quickly made his way out of her room. The hallway was silent. _They're all probably in class by now,_ he thought as he made his way to the dining room. He spotted Fumio-san vacuuming the floor of the foyer as he ran down the stairs.

"Fumio-san!" he shouted, halfway down the steps. Fumio-san looked up at him curiously, muttering something about students not being careful anymore. "Have you seen Hinata?" he asked, breathless.

"Don't you know?" she said. Joichiro must have looked more confused that he wanted to because Fumio suddenly looked at him with some pity in her eyes. "Nakamura challenged Hinata to a shokugeki," she said before glancing at the nearest clock. "You should hurry if you want to make it, it's almost done by now," she said, turning the vacuum back on.

Ignoring Fumio-san's reprimands about being careful, Joichiro ran back up to his room to change into his uniform before running back out of the dorm. He paid no attention to the strain in his lungs as he continued to sprint to the shokugeki hall. _Why did she keep this from me? This must be the "secret project" she's been working on all week,_ he thought as he pieced together the events this past week. _No wonder she was acting all weird and secretive. But it still doesn't explain why she'd hide this match from me?_

He felt the ground crunch underneath his feet as he picked up the pace even more. _If she didn't want me to watch, she'd tell me about this match. Will she be expelled from Totsuki if she lost?_ Grunting, Joichiro pushed himself more as the arena came into view. _No, Azami wouldn't do that, would he?_

Joichiro pushed the double doors and runs down the empty hallway, slipping on the floor as he turns the corner. He could already see the doors to the arena. Slowing down and catching his breath, he pauses for a moment outside before going in.

...

"The winner of this shokugeki is Nakamura Azami!" one of the judges announces. Hinata stares at the judge who is speaking, her vision getting dimmer. She could hear gasps from the audience. Certain that it came from her research society; she stares at the board instead. It displays their score of "3 – 0" in favour of Azami. She blinks rapidly as her vision gets darker, her legs giving out under her.

"Shadow," Hinata whispers, reaching out for something to hold on to as everything turns to black.

* * *

 _So there's chapter 8. Hope you guys like it!_

 _Please please please leave a review if you do or if you have comments or whatnot!_

 _(internally panicking again lol)_

 _Also follow and favourite if you want hihi_

 _Important Note: I included the English translation of Fujii Fumiya's True Love instead of the original Japanese lyrics_

 _It is likely not that accurate since I found three different versions of the translation_


	9. Chapter 9: Shooting Star, Falling Star 2

_AAAAND finally we're here. NINE, NINE! (B99 reference sorry can't help myself)_

 ** _This chapter is rated M. Yes, whatever you're thinking is right. Probably._**

 **(Edit: Specifically, this chapter has lemon/smut. Sorry I wasn't specific earlier. But SetsunaEST kindly told me that I should be.)**

 _I don't know what else to say about this chapter except I'm seriously nervous about this (like I always am)_

 _Also, it's the longest chapter so far!_

 _I seriously hope you guys like this chapter!_

 _Also your follows, favorites, and comments all mean a lot to me!_

 _THANK YOU!_

* * *

Chapter 9: Shooting Star, Falling Star (Part 2)

 **1996**

Joichiro stares in shock as Hinata faints in the middle of the arena. The judges get up from their seats and shout for paramedics. Azami himself stepped away, unsure of what to do. Some of the people from the audience who Joichiro assumed were from the research society came down to rush to Hinata's side. Two men arrived moments later and carefully placed her on the stretcher. The paramedics were going towards Joichiro who was frozen in his spot near the entrance.

"Excuse me," one of them spoke up as they passed by him, snapping him out of his shock.

He ran up to them as they went through the doors. "Hinata," he whispered, holding her hand. The two EMTs exchanged a look but remained silent as they made their way out of the hall.

When they got out of the building, an ambulance was already waiting outside. A third paramedic opened the door to the van and assisted as they gently loaded her inside. With just him left, Joichiro rushed to climb inside.

"Whoa," one of the paramedics stopped him. "You can't come with us."

"Please. She's my girlfriend," Joichiro pleaded.

"Alright, hop in," the third paramedic said. The one near the door shot him a look. "We're just taking her to the school infirmary, Okane-san," he reasoned.

"Fine, get in." Joichiro hastily climbed inside, immediately taking Hinata's hand as the paramedic opposite him closed the doors. The van jerked forward as they headed for the infirmary. "Did you see her hit her head when she fainted?" He asked Joichiro.

"Yeah, she hit her head," Joichiro replied, still staring at Hinata.

"Does she have any allergies that you know of? Medical history? Blood type?" he asked as he examined her breathing through a stethoscope. "Is she taking any medicine?"

"I don't know about any allergies and blood type. But she said that their family has a history of cancer. Her mother died of stomach cancer," he replied, still not looking up at the paramedic. "She also doesn't drink any medicine, but she drinks a lot of herbal tea."

They arrive at the infirmary minutes later. Joichiro immediately jumped out of the van, not wanting to get in their way. As the other two carried Hinata down the ambulance, the third paramedic spoke to the nearest doctor.

"This is Hinata Yukihira, 15 years old. Family has a history of cancer. No known medications. She fainted after a shokugeki in the arena and hit her head on the floor," he said as they brought her inside. "On our arrival, she was unconscious, breathing, and was hypotensive and tachycardic. BP 80/60. Heart Rate 120," he continues to relay to the doctor as the others transfer her to a bed.

Joichiro tunes out the noise as they plug a bunch of wires on Hinata. The other doctors checked her breathing, pulse, and a lot more that he couldn't understand. He stood still at a distance, steering clear of the chaos as he stared at Hinata. Eventually, the voices of the people around the room turned into white noise as Joichiro focused on the sound of her heartbeat, beeping loudly through the monitor. When they shone a flashlight in her eyes, Hinata came to her senses and mumbled as she pushed the flashlight away from her face.

"Joichiro," she mumbled as she tried to get out of the bed.

"You have to stay still. You fainted and hit your head. We have to examine you," the doctor said as they held her down.

Joichiro wanted to go over to her side and hold her hand, but he remained frozen in his spot. The paramedics had already left and now all of the attention is focused on Hinata who was in and out of consciousness. The doctors discussed with each other and threw orders around while the nurses hung IV bags and plugged it into her arm. After a while, they started to wheel her out of the emergency room.

"Wait, where are you taking her?" He asked a nearby doctor

"We're going to scan her for any head injuries. We'll let you know if there's any news," he said sympathetically before calling a nurse. "You can sit in the waiting room. The nurse will take you there."

Before Joichiro could ask more questions, he already left to catch up with the rest of the team. He could barely register what the nurse was saying as she guided him to the waiting room. Joichiro noticed that they passed by the Burn Unit before arriving at the waiting room. She left immediately after, leaving him to his devices. He looked around the room. It was empty apart from him and the unoccupied rows of seats. Joichiro sat down on the chair directly in front of the door.

 _I've never felt more helpless in my entire life_ , he thought as he buried his face in his hands. _Whoever is up there seriously has it in for me. But please let her be okay. Please._

A few minutes later, her doctor walked through the doors of the waiting room. Joichiro stood up immediately and rushed over to him.

"Good news, there's no head injury," Joichiro sighed in relief. "But we do have some findings. Do you know if her parents are in Tokyo or any other family members?" the doctor asked, looking serious.

"Her father, I think. But I don't know how to contact him," he replied. "Is she awake? Can I see her?"

The doctor nodded. "She's awake. I'll take you to her room. Follow me," he said, pushing the door open.

They went up to her room silently. Joichiro trailed behind the doctor, his heart pounding. The infirmary was mostly empty, save for a few students who have minor illnesses. Other than that, the place was quiet as they walked through the halls and turned a bunch of corners. A few minutes later, they stood outside a private room. Joichiro could barely remember how they got there, but losing his way in the building was the least of his worries. The doctor knocked on the door before going inside.

"Hinata-san, you have a visitor," the doctor said, smiling at Hinata who beamed at the sight of Joichiro who went into the room after the doctor.

"Joichiro-kun," Hinata whispered. Joichiro rushed over to her side, finally convinced that she's perfectly okay and this isn't a dream.

"Hinata," he said, holding her hand. "I'm glad you're okay." He leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Does anything hurt?"

"No, I'm okay. Don't worry. I just fainted, that's all." She said, smiling as she tightened her grip on Joichiro's hand.

"Hinata-san," the doctor said. "We need to discuss your treatment. Do you have family members in Tokyo? Perhaps your parents?"

"My father's not in Tokyo right now. He's in Okinawa," Hinata said. "I could try to call him so he'll come home. Would that be okay?"

The doctor nodded. "That's okay. I think we can wait for him,"

Hinata looked up at Joichiro who was watching her intently as if he was genuinely frightened that she'll fade like smoke if he looked away. "Joichiro-kun, do you remember the recipe to the soba noodle soup we made in training camp?"

"Of course, I do. Do you want me to make it for you?" Hinata nodded, smiling. "Okay, where do you keep the reishi and cordyceps?"

"They're in my desk drawer, the second drawer, inside a huge box. It's all labelled so you won't have a hard time looking for them."

"Okay," Joichiro said, giving her another kiss on the forehead. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Do you need anything else?" Hinata shook her head. "I'll see you later. Get some rest," he said before leaving.

Hinata listened intently for his footsteps. "Doctor Shimoda?" she called out to the doctor who spent the past few minutes, writing something on her chart and closely monitoring her vital signs. He looked up at her from where he stood at the foot of her bed. "I didn't want to alarm Joichiro, but now that he's not here, you can tell me what's wrong with me."

He stuttered for a while, unsure of what to say. "We can wait for your father to arrive, Hinata-san."

"Please tell me. My mother died young because of stomach cancer and I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop ever since. I know it's hard to get information off of doctors, but please, Shimoda-san. I need to know," Hinata pleaded.

The doctor sighed, putting down her chart as he walked over to her side. "Your condition is serious, but we don't have enough technology here to diagnose the cause. I'd like to speak to your father about getting you examined in a hospital."

"So I don't have to stay here in the infirmary?"

"You still have to stay for a few days so we can treat you with IV fluids. But this will only treat your existing condition. Since it's highly likely that there is an underlying cause, I recommend getting more tests."

Hinata sighed, frustrated by the doctor's non-answer. "What exactly _is_ my condition, Shimoda-san?" The young doctor stared at her for a while, clearly uncomfortable. "I know most doctors believe that if you tell a patient their illness, they'll get worse. But trust me, the fear of the unknown is the only thing that's making me feel worse right now. _Please_ tell me."

He looked down at her, his eyes filled with pity. "You have hypercalcemia, it's when there's an abnormally large amount of calcium in your blood." Hinata stared at him, nodding as she processed his words. "Right now, we can treat it with some IV fluids. But you need to get examined to find out the underlying cause since there are many possible reasons why." They remained silent for a few seconds. "We can contact your father for you—"

"No, he doesn't need to know."

"But—"

"He had a hard time dealing with my mother's death. He couldn't accept it for the longest time," she said. Shimoda sighed, the pity returning in his eyes. " _I_ need to know 'cause it could also happen to me. It's not something I'm shying away from. This is something that I've accepted a long time ago." She paused, her eyes unwavering. "But my father can't go through this again. Call him for my insurance, but just tell him I fainted and I need some more tests in the hospital. He doesn't need to know any more than that."

"I understand," the doctor said. Hinata wrote down the number to Yukihira Diner on the pad sitting on top of the bedside drawer. After peeling off the paper, she handed it over to the doctor. "I'll tell you when we've spoken." Hinata nodded and the doctor quietly left the room.

As soon as the doctor left, Hinata exhaled. Staring out of the window, she could feel tears running down her face. She wiped them off right away. _You have to be strong,_ she thought to herself. _Hypercalcemia could be caused by cancer. That's true, but it could also be caused by something else. You're not a doctor, Hinata,_ she scolds herself, shaking her head to get rid of the dark thoughts that were about to go through her mind. _Going through everything you've read on cancer isn't going to help. You need more tests. More importantly, you need to calm down._

Hinata continued to stare out of the window for a few minutes, her mind still stormy with all of the conflicting thoughts thrown here and there. Then one particular thought entered her mind which shut down all the rest. _Do I tell Joichiro?_

* * *

Joichiro walked as fast as he could. When he arrived in Polar Star, Fumio-san and Gin were already in the foyer, talking in hushed tones. They rushed to his side when he went through the door, asking tons of questions about Hinata. Joichiro ignored them and rushed up the stairs, going straight into Hinata's room to get ingredients he needs to make her soba noodle soup.

"Second drawer," he muttered, walking towards her desk. He leaned down and pulled the drawer open. Inside, there was a huge box just as Hinata said. Joichiro grabbed the box out of the drawer and placed it on her desk, pushing aside the books. He looked back down at the drawer as something caught his eye. "What's this…?" he said, looking closely at the pile of papers hidden below the box.

He could clearly see the shokugeki letter on top of the pile, its right side crumpled somewhat. Below that, he saw another envelope with Hinata's name on it and an exam sheet with an 'E' on the corner. Joichiro absentmindedly reached down to pick up the pieces of paper but then stopped as his fingers touched the corners of the shokugeki letter. _I can't go through her things. These are clearly private._

Shaking the images of the letters from his mind, he focused his attention back to the box in front of him. Joichiro lifted the lid of the box. Inside were jars, boxes, and pouches full of assorted medicinal herbs, tonics, powders, and more. He went through the jars first, recalling the ones she brought out in training camp. It didn't take him long to find the correct ones. Joichiro closed the box and paused for a moment before shoving it back into the drawer, staring at the pile of letters inside. _No, you can't_ , he told himself as he hastily placed the box back inside.

Joichiro went downstairs to the kitchen, clutching the jars in his hands. When he got inside, Gin was already there, leaning on the kitchen counter furthest from the door. Again, Joichiro ignored him as he went straight to gathering the rest of the ingredients. Gin was uncharacteristically silent as he watched his best friend run around the kitchen and storage room, grabbing and dropping off ingredients.

When he got everything he needed, plus a few substitute ingredients, Joichiro tied up his hair, staring at the pile of ingredients in front of him. Gin calmly walked over to his side.

"What do you need me to do?" Gin asked.

Joichiro looked up at him. They stared at each other for a moment. _Do they know what happened? Does he know who I'm cooking for?_ He thought. Gin nodded as if reading his mind. "Soba noodles," he said.

Gin nodded once again before taking off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves. They worked in complete silence. Joichiro gave him a few more instructions once he was done cutting the soba noodles, but other than that, they didn't talk about the elephant in the room. No, the elephant sat ignored in the corner while the pair cooked as if their lives depended on it. After all, they were each cooking for someone.

They assembled the soup in a bento container, the soba noodles placed in the lowest compartment. Joichiro cooked another comfort dish which went on the compartment above the soup. He was about to cook another for the top-most container when Fumio-san walked through the door, carrying a plate.

"Add this to your bento," she said, handing him a plate of Kinpira Gobo salad. "She's fond of that."

Joichiro took the plate silently and transferred its contents to the bento. "Thank you," he said, looking at Gin and Fumio-san who stood beside each other. He closed the bento tightly, double checking the lids and clasps.

"Oh, and I almost forgot—" Fumio said, rushing back into her room. Moments later she went out with a thermos. "Schizandra berry tea," she said, setting down the warm thermos in front of him. "She always makes that for me."

He nodded slowly, looking down at the bento and thermos in front of him. "Thank you," he said again, not sure what else to say.

"We'll visit later," Gin said. He nodded absent-mindedly, still dazed. "She'll be okay." Joichiro finally looked up and met the eyes of the man in front of him. "Hinata will be okay," he repeated. Joichiro grabbed the thermos and bento, muttered another thanks, and left the kitchen.

"Let's visit tomorrow instead. Give them some time alone, don't you think?" Fumio said as she went straight to the pot which contained the remaining soba noodles soup, pouring some into a bowl for herself. "Hmmm…" Fumio hummed as she closed her eyes in appreciation of the soup. "Joichiro really loves her, doesn't he?" she whispered, staring down at the bowl in her hands.

Curious, Gin also got some soup and tasted it. _Ahh, I see,_ he noted as his eyes closed instinctively. "He really does," he whispers, smiling faintly.

 **...**

In his rush to get to Hinata's room, Joichiro got lost in the infirmary for a while. Eventually, he gave up trying to find his way alone and asked a nurse who passed by. Minutes later, he went inside her room. She was sitting up on her bed, staring out of the window.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked, setting down the bento and thermos on the table by the door.

Hinata watched him as he sat on the bed. "I'm just wondering about my research society. They must hate me right now," she said.

"Hey, don't worry about them, okay? They could challenge Azami again for the kitchen and if they win, all would be back to normal. I'm sure they don't hate you. Especially after what happened," Joichiro said as he held her hand.

"That's not fair, you know?" she said. "I still lost our research society kitchen. Whether or not I fainted afterwards, they have a right to be pissed."

"Well, if they want to be mad at you, they have to go through me first." He said, pointing a thumb at his chest. Hinata laughed, shaking her head. "I'm serious. I'll beat them all in a shokugeki if they come at you like an angry mob. Or if they want to get physical…I'll protect you," he continued to joke as he shrugged off his jacket and ridiculously flexed his arms. "I'm just saying. You see this? I got muscles. They wouldn't want to go near this."

Hinata laughed harder. "Again, that's not exactly fair, anata," she said breathlessly as Joichiro continued to show off his worst impression of a bodybuilder. Joichiro fell silent. Hinata also gradually lost her smile as she realized what she just said. "I mean—you know…" she stuttered, cursing herself internally.

Joichiro chuckled before leaning in to kiss Hinata on the lips. "I know," he whispered, smiling at Hinata who stared at him with wide eyes. "You should eat," he said as he got off the bed. "Gin and Fumio-san helped me. They said they'll visit," Joichiro said, pulling the table over her bed.

"Thank you," she said, still blushing. Hinata ate while Joichiro entertained her with various stories from his shokugekis and competitions. When she was finished eating, Joichiro pushed the table back to where it initially was.

"You should get some rest. I'll be here," he said, holding her hand. Hinata closed her eyes and felt his lips on her forehead for a brief moment as she fell asleep.

* * *

The following day, Joichiro had to leave early because he has a few shokugekis scheduled for the day. Hinata went back to sleep soon after he left. Hours later, someone knocked on the door and went inside. Stifling a yawn and blinking, Hinata woke up, expecting a nurse or doctor.

"Hello, Hinata-san," Takeo Watanabe greeted her as he stood next to her bed. She sat up immediately, suddenly nervous. He smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not mad," he said, raising his hands up.

"You should be," she said.

He chuckled as he sat on the edge of the bed. "That's what they keep telling me," he said as he turned to face her, his left leg casually dangling off the side. "But I find anger exhausting," Takeo said as he shrugged. "Anyway, you need not worry. I'll get the kitchen back. I already sent a shokugeki challenge to Azami. Hopefully, he'll accept."

"Oh, he'll accept it," Hinata said, Azami's creepy smile flashing in her mind.

"Maybe, but he hasn't talked to me. It seems he has a bone to pick with you, though," he said, looking at her intently. "I was mildly surprised when he approached me last week."

"I've been meaning to talk to you about that, Takeo-san," she said. He tilted his head. "Why'd you let me represent the research society?"

"Like I said, he seemed to have an issue with you. But I let him choose you because I trust you."

"Don't you mean _trusted_?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

He shook his head. "No, I still trust you," he said. Hinata stared at him. "Not everyone may see it, but I know what you're capable of, Hinata-san." They were silent for a while as her brown eyes scrutinized his bright blue eyes. Hinata tried to speak but was effectively speechless. "Anyway, I'm not here to bother you with all of that. I came to check up on you. How are you?"

"I'm okay," she said, avoiding the real question.

Takeo sighed as he looked down at his hands. "I know you try to keep your life as private as possible from everyone. But you forget…I know what you're going through. It's me, Hinata-san," he said, timidly smiling at her. Hinata sighed. "So, I'll ask you again, how are you?"

"I have hypercalcemia. They say there are a lot of possible underlying causes…" she said, trailing off.

"And you think it could be cancer?" He asked. Hinata nodded slowly. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"But they can't be sure since I need more tests. So I need to get myself checked outside," Hinata said, pausing for a moment. "I'm not sure if I want to go, though. I mean, of course, I do but—"

"But you're scared to hear it's exactly what you think," he said, reading her thoughts. Hinata stayed silent as she felt panic creep up. Takeo breathed in before saying, "I've offered this before and it still stands. My father's an oncologist. I could take you to meet with him so you won't be alone."

Hinata gave it a moment's thought before shaking her head. "Thank you, but no, Takeo-san."

"Well, it's a standing offer," he said, smiling. "It's here if you need it and so am I," he reached out and gently placed his hand on her arm. Hinata froze. The monitor beeped faster as her heart rate increased. Takeo chuckled, taking off his hand. "I should go. I'm glad to see you're doing okay, Hinata-san," he said, throwing his jacket over his shoulder before calmly walking out of the room.

 **...**

Joichiro went inside the hospital, carrying another bento in his hand. This time, he carefully read the signs so he wouldn't get lost again. When he got up to the second floor, he turned right. The wing was mostly empty, with just a few nurses in the station directly in front of the elevator. Seconds later, the door to Hinata's room was already within view and Joichiro was about to go inside when he saw another man inside. Joichiro stepped away immediately before taking a peek through the door's window.

He couldn't hear what they were talking about, but Joichiro felt his blood boil at the sight of the guy as he smiled at Hinata. _Who the hell is this guy?_ He thought as he continued to watch. The unnamed visitor then placed his hand on Hinata's arm. Joichiro felt his heart clench as he looked away, leaning against the wall next to the door. Crossing his arms over his chest, he breathed heavily to calm himself down.

Moments later, the man he's been stabbing inside his mind walked out of the door. At first, he was completely unaware of Joichiro's presence as the latter glared at him. After shrugging on his jacket, Takeo turned around and upon spotting Joichiro, he froze in his place for a brief moment.

"You must be Saiba Joichiro. Hinata's mentioned you before," he said, walking towards Joichiro who was still leaning on the wall.

"That's funny," Joichiro replied, sarcastically. "She's never mentioned _you_."

"Hmm, why's that, I wonder," Takeo said, unaffected. "Well, you're also getting quite a reputation around campus." Joichiro continued to glare at him, ignoring his comment. "If you don't mind me asking…are you and Hinata-san together?"

"Oh, she never mentioned it?" Joichiro asked rhetorically. The man opposite him was about to answer. "Yes, she's my girlfriend. We're keeping it a secret, but I think _you_ should know so you could keep your hands away from her," he said, taking a step closer to Takeo who only chuckled.

"I see. Well, whatever you saw, I assure you that meant nothing," he said, smiling. "I'll see you around, Saiba-san," Takeo said before leaving.

Joichiro watched him walk away and get into the elevator. When he was finally out of sight, Joichiro went into Hinata's room. She was staring out of the window before turning to look at him when he walked in.

"Joichiro-kun—" Hinata said, smiling at him.

"Who the hell was that?" he asked, clearly struggling to keep his jealousy under wrap. Hinata only stared at him. "The guy who just here, who is he?"

"That's the president of Medicinal Cuisine RS, Takeo Watanabe—"

"Why was he here?" he asked, interrupting Hinata again who continued to look up at him with wide eyes.

"He just came by to tell me that the research society will be fine and he'll be challenging Azami again for the kitchen—"

"That's all?" Joichiro asked, pacing as adrenaline rushed through him.

"He also wanted to see how I was doing and—"

"Couldn't he have done that through a letter or—?"

"Wait a minute," Hinata said. Joichiro stopped pacing and looked at her from the foot of her bed. "Are you jealous? Is that why you're acting weird?"

Joichiro stared at her for a few seconds before walking over to sit on her bed, sitting in the exact spot Takeo occupied earlier. "I saw him touch your arm."

Hinata sighed. "That meant nothing." Joichiro looked at her again. "Trust me," she said.

"I trust you," he finally said before leaning over to give her a kiss. "I just don't trust _him_." Hinata laughed as she took his hand. He smiled. "I brought another bento from Polar Star. Akiko sends her love, she cooked her signature tempura."

* * *

Hinata watches outside the window as a pair of birds fly in and out of view. Joichiro left an hour earlier to attend a competition outside of Tokyo and won't be back until later that night. Doctor Shimoda arrived that morning to clear her for discharge and she was just waiting for her discharge papers to arrive so she could leave the infirmary. The door creaked as it opened slowly and someone walked inside. Hinata sat still on the bed as she faced the window, expecting a nurse with her papers.

"Hinata," the man said, coming into her view.

"Headmaster?" Hinata said, staring at Senzaemon who stood in front of her.

"I suppose I'm the last person you're expecting to see today," he said. Hinata nodded, still stunned. "But we do have an important matter to discuss. Surely you know what I'm referring to."

"My probationary status…?" she said nervously as her heart beat rapidly. _I'm glad they removed the monitor this morning,_ she thought.

Senzaemon nodded. "Well, more than that, we have to discuss your future here in Totsuki," he said, sitting down on the armchair that had become Joichiro's bed for the past few nights. "You are aware that you are on probationary status and that means you are still one failure away from being expelled. I am not here to expel you from Totsuki, Hinata." Hinata sighed in relief. "But I am here to advise you to leave."

Hinata's heart sank. "Leave Totsuki," she whispered. He nodded again.

"Totsuki is not for everyone. I've always made that clear. But every now and then, a student comes through those doors and reminds me that this place is not _enough_ for everyone. You have potential that Totsuki, even with its proven success, cannot manage properly," Senzaemon said, looking outside the window. "If you stay here, this school will destroy you. As headmaster, I cannot let that happen."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Hinata asks, staring at Senzaemon who looks up at her and meets her gaze. "I'm sorry, that sounded rude, but I—why care about me?"

The headmaster sighs and for a brief moment, Hinata saw something in his eyes that she cannot pin down. Then it was gone and his eyes were determined again. "Let's just say you remind me of someone, someone I had to let go of…so she could grow."

Hinata nodded slowly. "I have to leave Totsuki?" she asks, mostly herself.

"Doctor Shimoda informed me of your condition. It's not something I can overlook. Your condition, if I'm correct, has already affected your grades and is the reason why you're on probation," he said. "Overcooking meat, forgetting to season, and using cilantro instead of parsley…" Hinata holds back a gasp, realizing that he just enumerated her failed exams. "These could've easily been mistakes made by an untalented chef, but what I find curious is that all of your failed tests fall on two specific dates. Otherwise, your record is pristine," he says, staring her down. "I'm explaining this to you so that you know why Totsuki is not the education you need to be a great chef."

"Where can I study, then?" Hinata said, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"I'm not telling you to study somewhere else, Hinata. You need to see what Japan and the rest of the world have to offer to expand your knowledge and hone your talent. Going to another school or returning to your diner is not going to be enough for you," he said. Hinata looked out the window as the birds came flying back. "If you try to go that direction…at some point, it will feel insufficient."

"How do you know?" she asked, looking back at Senzaemon.

"I know you barely know who I am, but trust me. Like I said, you're not the first chef I've had this conversation with." Hinata sighs. Senzaemon stands up from his seat. "I've arranged a car to bring you back to Polar Star. I can also arrange a taxi to pick you up later tonight and bring you back home. Doctor Shimoda requested these when we spoke."

The headmaster turned to leave. "Wait—" Hinata called out. "I'm probably not in the position to make requests, but would it be okay if I leave tomorrow morning instead? I want to say goodbye to everyone."

Senzaemon nodded. "I understand. I will arrange for the cab to pick you up early tomorrow morning at Polar Star."

"Also…" she said. He stepped closer to her. "If ever Joichiro comes around asking questions, please tell him I got expelled because I failed. Don't tell him that you advised me to leave because of my health."

"May I ask why?"

"He needs to be here, in Totsuki. If you tell him that I had to leave because of my health, I'm scared that he'll drop everything and follow me," Senzaemon nodded, as if pondering the possible outcomes as well. "Even if there's a chance that won't happen, I can't risk it. He deserves to stay here. I know it's probably too much to ask, but I'm begging you. He can't know."

Senzaemon was silent for a while. Hinata looked up at him, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall again. "It's against my principles to lie," he said. She looked down at her lap. "But I see what you mean. I may not be fond of gossip but the nurses are. They've been gushing about your secret relationship." Hinata blushed, still not looking up at him. "If Joichiro asks me, I will lie to him for you. But this is not a simple request. If you ask me to do this, you have to be absolutely sure."

"I'm sure, Senzaemon-dono," Hinata said. "Thank you…for everything." He nodded once and then turned around to leave. Soon afterwards, a few nurses came to assist her out of the infirmary.

* * *

Half an hour later, she arrived at Polar Star. When she got inside, it was particularly quiet. Hinata glanced at the clock on the wall. _Everyone must be in class_ , she thought as she went up to her room. Everything was as she left it a few days ago, not a single item out of place. _Except for my books,_ she noted as she walked over to the desk. She lied down on the bed for a moment, realizing that pillow still somewhat has Joichiro's scent. Hinata inhaled the familiar mix of earthy and citrus notes as she closed her eyes. _How do I say goodbye to this place?_ She sat up as the reality started to hit her. _How do I say goodbye to Joichiro?_

Hinata felt tears fall down her face. She didn't bother wiping them off as she started to sob into her hands. _I knew it. This is too good to be true,_ she thought as she continued to cry for the next few minutes. After a while, she just stared at the wall opposite her bed. Her tears had dried out and she had exhausted herself from crying. _I guess I have no choice._ Hinata got out of bed and splashed some water on her face in the sink. As she dried off her face with the towel, she started to organize her thoughts. _I need to write letters to people. But I can't tell Joichiro tonight that I'm leaving. How do I hide this from him?_

She packed up her things as fast as she could, leaving out a few things that she'll need for her plan. Hinata sat down and wrote letters for Fumio, Gin, Akiko, Takeo, and Joichiro. Afterwards, she walked down to the second floor and knocked on Gin's door, hoping that he's inside.

"Hinata," Gin said, surprised. "Are you feeling better now? Is there anything I could do for you? Come inside," he asked, letting Hinata through the door. She walked inside and saw that he was slicing up some ingredients on the counter. "Do you want water or tea?"

"No, I'm okay, Gin. Thank you." Hinata said, sitting down on the floor. Gin sat opposite her. "But there is something you could do for me…if it's okay."

"Anything, just name it," he said.

"The headmaster has asked me to leave Totsuki," she said. Gin blinked as his mouth flew open. "I can't stay anymore because of my health. But if Joichiro asks, I need you to lie. I need you to tell him that I got expelled because of my grades."

"I don't understand," Gin said, his eyebrows furrowing. Hinata repeated the explanation she gave to Senzaemon hours earlier. "I see what you mean."

"I know it's probably too much to ask, for you to lie to your best friend. But, I'm begging here."

"I'll do it. Don't worry, I understand."

"Thank you," Hinata said before looking down at the letters in her hand. "Also, I'd like you to give these letters when I leave," she said, handing over the envelopes to Gin who took them silently. "Promise me you won't read yours until tomorrow morning."

Gin nodded. "I'll take of it. I promise. Although," he said, pulling out one envelope. "Who's Takeo?"

"Oh, Takeo Watanabe's the president of Medicinal Cuisine Research Society. He's always in the kitchen, although now that Azami's taken it, I'm not quite sure how to track him down."

"Don't worry; I'm sure I'll figure it out." Gin said, inserting back the envelope into the pile. They stare at each other for a few seconds. "How do you plan on saying goodbye to Joichiro?"

"I can't tell him that I'm leaving tonight. I'll tell him tomorrow morning at the last minute. It's probably not the best idea, but I just know he'll try to convince me to stay and that's not something I can handle," she said. Gin nodded. "My plan is to keep my things downstairs at Fumio-san's room and tomorrow morning, when the cab arrives, I need your help to load my things while I say goodbye to Joichiro."

"What's your plan for tonight?" He asked.

"I'll arrange a picnic at the barn. Somehow I'll convince him to spend the night there so that he won't see my empty room. Is it okay if you tell him to meet me there when he arrives from his competition?"

"Sure, no problem. Just so I have everything clear. I'll tell him to meet you at the barn when he gets here, tomorrow morning Fumio-san and I will sneak your things into the cab, and then when you go, I'll give away your letters?" Gin asked.

Hinata blushed. "Now that you put it like that, I really am asking a lot, aren't I?" she said, chuckling nervously.

Gin laughed. "Don't worry about it. It's the least I can do." Hinata smiled at him. "Joichiro loves you, you know? It's not going to be easy for him…you leaving."

She sighed. "I know. This isn't easy for me either, the thought of leaving him…" Hinata shakes her head. "But I can't stay here and he can't leave. I don't want him to give up his dreams for me. Somehow that thought's the only thing that's pushing me to go through with this."

"You're doing the right thing, Hinata," Gin said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Hinata smiles at Gin, who takes his hand off after a second. "Do you need help with cooking for your picnic?"

Hinata nodded. "I'd like some help if it's okay."

Gin stood up, offering his hand to Hinata who took it as she stood up as well. "It's the least I can do. I'll just clear up here and meet you downstairs in fifteen minutes?" Hinata nodded before leaving Gin's room.

As she went into the kitchen, she saw Fumio-san who is preparing some vegetables. Hinata walked over to Fumio who immediately hugged her.

Laughing, Hinata hugged her back. "How are you, Fumio-san?"

"Don't worry about me, how are you? Are you feeling better? Oh, Joichiro will be so happy when he comes back from his competition!" Fumio said, smiling.

"I'm okay now, but there's something I need to talk to you about," she said. She must've sounded more serious than she thought because Fumio immediately stopped smiling. "I got expelled from Totsuki and I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

"Oh, Hinata…" Fumio whispered.

"If it's okay with you, I'd like to keep this from Joichiro until the last minute. Can I keep my luggage in your room tonight? Gin will explain the rest of the details later, but tonight, I'm planning a picnic in the barn so that Joichiro won't see my empty room. Is it okay?"

"Of course, dear," Fumio said, taking her hand in between hers. "Oh, I have a large sleeping bag stored around here somewhere. You can borrow that and also, I think I have a picnic blanket. I'll go look for them, okay?" she said, hurriedly leaving.

Gin arrived minutes later, carrying his knives. "So, what do you need me to do?"

 **...**

Three hours later, they had finished cooking and had also loaded her luggage into Fumio's room. Hinata had also finished setting up the picnic blanket and sleeping bag in the barn, along with some candles that Fumio-san also gave her earlier which she reluctantly took.

"Here, you also need these," Fumio-san said, handing over a box of large candles.

Hinata looked into the box. "Oh, I don't need these, Fumio-san. There's a space heater in the barn, remember?"

"But you _do_ need them. If you know what I mean…" she said with a wink. Gin cleared his throat and looked away, blushing. It took Hinata a while to understand, but when she finally did she blushed even harder than Gin and stuttered for a few seconds.

"Fumio-san!" Hinata said, still struggling to find the words to express her thoughts.

"Oh, don't be so immature, Hinata. How else do you say goodbye to someone you love?" Fumio said, looking at her intently. Hinata was about to protest again when Fumio gently pushed her towards the door. "Just use the damn candles, okay? This will be a little secret between us three. Right, Gin?"

Gin was still blushing as he avoided Hinata's questioning gaze. "I have to go take care of something. Is there anything else you need me for, Hinata?"

"Oh, no, I've got everything else covered. Thank you, Gin," Hinata said. Gin nodded, still avoiding her eyes as he swiftly left the kitchen.

* * *

Joichiro rushed to get back to Polar Star as soon as the competition was finished. He went up to his room to drop off his trophy. _Hinata's going to be so glad to hear I won again,_ he thought, smiling. His smile fell as he heard someone knock on his door. _Is Hinata back from the infirmary?_

"Come in," he shouted, watching as his visitor came inside. "Gin, guess what? I won," Joichiro said, grinning. Gin stayed silent as he walked up to Joichiro. "What's wrong?"

"What? No, nothing's wrong," Gin said, clearly nervous.

"Okay, that's highly convincing," he said, sarcastically. "What is it?"

"Hinata…" Joichiro's heart sank. "…wants you to meet her at the barn. She prepared a picnic for you two."

Joichiro laughed, shaking his head. "For a moment there I thought you had bad news," he said, lightly punching Gin's shoulder. "So why are you all nervous?" Gin reached for something in his pocket.

"Here, you might need this," Gin said, handing over a small box which Joichiro took thoughtlessly.

When Joichiro looked down at what Gin had handed over, he jumped, letting go of the box. "Gin! What the hell?!" He shouted as the box of condoms fell to the floor.

Gin picked it up from the floor, handing it over to Joichiro again who stepped away. "Come on, now. Don't be immature. We both know that you and Hinata love each other and when two people love each other—"

"Okay, fine, fine, I'll take it," Joichiro said, grabbing the box and stuffing it into his pocket. "Just spare me the birds and bees lecture, will you?"

"She's already waiting for you at the barn," Gin said as he turned to leave. "Stay safe," he shouted over his shoulder. Joichiro grabbed a pen nearby and threw it at Gin. It bounced off the wall, missing Gin by a few inches. Gin laughed, shaking his head as he left the room.

Joichiro stepped back to sit on his bed, taking out the box of condoms from his pocket. He held it cautiously as he stared at it with mild interest. _Wait, Gin gave me this and Hinata asked him to tell me to meet her… is she expecting us to...are we even ready for that?_ He thought, thinking back at the times they've been intimate with each other. Suddenly images of Hinata as they kissed flashed in his mind—her cherry-coloured lips, her pale, glowing skin as she lifted off her sweater the first time they kissed, the adorably sexy way she bites her lips when she's too shy to ask for more kisses, the way she whimpers when their bodies are pressed against each other on the wall, locker—

"Fuck," Joichiro whispered sharply as he got off the bed. "I guess I'll be needing that after all," he whispers, thinking of the small box in his pocket, as he rushes out of the room to meet Hinata.

* * *

At the barn, Hinata sat in the picnic blanket, fussing over the smallest details. Almost a dozen lit candles surrounded the barn, casting a warm glow all over the place. The barn door creaked open and Joichiro walked in with a grin on his face, still wearing his uniform.

"Hey there, beautiful," he said as he walked over to Hinata, who sat still in the picnic blanket. Hinata bit her lip as she watched him sit in front of her. Joichiro then leaned over and kissed her on the lips.

"Hey," she whispered. "Did you win?"

"You bet I did," Joichiro said, throwing a grape into his mouth.

"I'm proud of you," Hinata said, holding his hand. "Let's eat. Gin helped me cook," she said, letting go of his hand as she took out the bento boxes.

Joichiro shared his experience at the competition while they ate dinner. "And then while we were headed to the arena, one of the contestants was walking in front of me. She pretended to slip so I had to catch her, right? And she kept winking at me throughout the day, it was crazy."

Hinata laughed. "Girls just keep throwing themselves at you, huh?"

"I know, it's insane," he said, suppressing a laugh. "But you know, I told her I'm already taken by a stunning and beautiful chef," Joichiro said as he winked at her. Hinata laughed, blushing. "Is that a radio? Come on," he said, standing up. "May I have this dance?" Joichiro asked as he reached out a hand to Hinata who took it, smoothing down her dress as she stood up.

It didn't take long for Joichiro to find the right station. "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" by Elton John surrounded the silent barn. He turned to look at Hinata who stood behind him. Joichiro felt his heart skip as he really looked at her for the first time that evening. The candles surrounding them made her glow. Hinata wore a floral, buttoned-down dress, it reached a little past her knees.

"Is there something on my face?" she asked, reaching up to touch her cheek.

Joichiro shook his head as he walked over to her. "You're breathtaking," he said as he took her into his arms. Hinata blushed.

 _"Can you feel the love tonight? It is where we are,"_ the song went. _"It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer that we got this far"_

They swayed slowly around, staring at each other's eyes. Joichiro pulled their outstretched hands towards his lips and kissed her hand before setting it down above his heart, his palm covering hers. Hinata smiled at him as they continued to slowly swing around in place.

As the song ended, he leaned down and let his lips brush hers for a second, teasing before finally kissing her. She melted in his arms, sighing into his mouth. Joichiro could feel the adrenaline coursing through him as they kissed, heat rushed below his belt as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing her closer to him. Hinata gasped as she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on for dear life as she felt her knees get weak.

His soft kisses teased her endlessly. Thoughts of what exactly she wanted him to do to her ran through her mind, Hinata blushed as she struggled to bury the shamelessly carnal ideas her mind unwittingly conjured.

As if reading her thoughts, his kisses suddenly became insistent, deeper than it had ever been. He licked her lips as if begging for permission. Hinata obediently parted her lips as his tongue made its way into her mouth. She could taste the strawberries they had for dessert on his tongue. Unconsciously, her tongue met his as if tempted by the sweet taste. Joichiro groaned, pushing her hair to one side as he trailed kisses down the side of her exposed neck.

Hinata whimpered, her eyes closing in response to his kisses. She could feel his breath on her delicate skin, every inch of her body now burning with desire. Joichiro glanced behind her and noticed a wooden table a few feet away. Panting, his hand lifted her head back up to kiss her on the lips. Hinata barely had time to breathe as his lips enveloped hers.

With Joichiro leading the way, they stumbled back until she felt something hard come in contact with her lower back. Hinata gasped as the sharp pain shot through her. It was a short-lived pain as he lifted her by the hips and set her on the table, her legs dangling off the edge. He leaned in closer to embrace her then paused, looking down at her legs which were covered by her dress.

Joichiro looked up at Hinata intently. They both knew what he wanted to ask. She nodded and his hands slowly started to unbutton her dress. Starting from the bottom, he took his time working his way up. His breath caught in his throat as Hinata's legs were slowly exposed with each button coming undone. Hinata blushed as she watched him undress half of her. He stopped just a button away from revealing her underwear, his hands unmoving as he breathed heavily.

She could feel heat pooling towards her core as his hands hovered inches away, the thin cloth of her dress not doing anything to make the heat less pronounced. Hinata pressed her thighs together, biting her lips as she flushed at how desperate she is for his touch. _Oh, screw it,_ she thought as she grabbed the knot of his necktie and pulled him to her.

As Hinata tugged him closer into a kiss, Joichiro's hands flew away from her dress and slammed against the table, his palms on either side of her. She pulled him even closer, moaning against his mouth. He could swear a growl came out of his throat as his hands slipped into her dress, the unfastened fabric separating as they fell outside her thighs. He grabbed her thighs and wrapped them around his hips which took a life of its own as it grinded against her core.

Pulling away from their kiss, Hinata moaned out loud as her head rolled back. She could feel his length straining against his pants as he ground his hips against her increasingly wet core. Joichiro kissed her neck gently before biting a sensitive area just underneath her jaw. Hinata wrapped her legs around him, this time, pushing herself against the tight front of his pants. He moaned before pressing his lips against hers as he unbuttoned the top half of her dress. Releasing her grip from his neck, Hinata let the dress fall off her shoulders, the cotton cloth pooling around her waist, exposing her black strapless bra.

Joichiro pulled away from her lips to take in the sight of her as she slowly slid her hands out of the dress sleeves. Hinata propped herself back on her arms, looking up at him with a heavy-lidded gaze. Her pale skin glowed against the candlelight, her chest rising up and down rapidly.

"Joichiro-kun…" Hinata whispered. He looked up at her. The sight of her flushing skin and swollen lips as she bit the lower half sent a rush of blood deep below him. Increasingly aware of how tight his pants are becoming, he leaned over her body and kissed her.

His left hand propped him up as his body pressed against hers, his right hand slowly making its way up her back to unclasp her bra. Every inch he touched lit a fire in Hinata as his hand ran up her back, his long, slender fingers tenderly stroking her skin. When his hand found its way to her bra, she held her breath for a second as she looked up at him. As if having done it before, he unfastened her bra effortlessly. She let it fall to her lap, exposing her breasts. Her peaks hardened as she felt the wind on her bare chest.

As he leaned in once again to kiss her, he ran his thumb over her breast, making Hinata gasp in pleasure. She reached up and tugged his necktie loose, throwing it aimlessly. Getting more restless by the second as he continued to stroke her breasts, Hinata swiftly pushed his jacket off his shoulders. Without even pausing their kiss, Joichiro let the jacket fall behind him. She reached back up and swiftly unbuttoned his shirt. Hinata let her hands run up his taut torso, feeling the muscles underneath his soft skin. She decided to leave the shirt on him, quite liking the idea of having something to grab.

Breaking their kiss, Joichiro leaned down and teasingly gave one of her peaks a quick lick. Hinata whimpered, grinding her hips against his. Smirking, he took the other into his mouth. She moaned as he gently bit her nipple while his hand played with the other. Joichiro kissed his way back up her neck as his hand ran up her thigh, pausing when he almost got near her hips. His fingers swiftly undid the last few buttons of her dress, pushing aside the bra on her lap. He softly pushes the fabric apart, letting it fall on either side of her. His fingers reached down and gently caressed her core through the thin cloth.

Hinata whimpered. "Please," she said, breathless as she looked up at him languorously.

Leaning over her again, he kissed her as he slipped his hand inside. He felt his mind go numb as he felt her wet core against his fingers as he gently stroked her clit. She felt her hips instinctively grind against his fingers, her mind screaming for more. He pressed her hips back down with the heel of his hand, tutting softly.

"Patience," he whispered into her ear.

"Joichiro-kun," she pleaded, moaning as he continued to play with her clit.

He silenced her with a kiss as he inserted a finger. Hinata moaned in his mouth, her hand reaching up and grabbing his hair. She started to see stars as he continued to pleasure her. Her muscles tightened around him as he inserted another finger. Panting, Hinata threw her head back, her eyes closing instinctively. Joichiro trailed kisses down her body as she slowly fell on her back, the sensation overwhelming her. As his strokes sped up, so did her breathing. She was practically gasping and for a moment, Hinata was scared that she might faint from too much pleasure as her heart pounded in her chest. She could feel something building up in her, her whole body working its way towards a climax.

"I need you, Joichiro," she moaned as he was trailing kisses across her collarbone.

He stopped stroking her as he looked up at her intently. "Are you sure?" he asked, breathless.

Hinata nodded. "Please," she pleaded, reaching up to hold his face.

He gave her a quick kiss on the lips before straightening up and reaching into his pocket. Hinata blushed as she realized what he brought with him. Joichiro took out one and threw the rest of the box onto the table, landing with a soft thud beside Hinata. He ripped open the pack with his teeth and carefully took out the rubber. She sat up and stopped his hands as they reached for his belt.

"Let me," she said as she unbuckled his belt. She could feel his eyes on her as she slowly unbuttoned and pulled down the zipper of his pants. Hinata gave it a gentle tug and watched as it fell to the floor, pooling around his feet. She looked back up his hips and bit back a gasp at the sight of him.

Sensing her shock, Joichiro pulled down his boxers to reveal his length. Gulping and blushing furiously, Hinata could feel her heart race as she watched him put on the rubber.

Joichiro leaned over. "Don't worry, I'll be gentle," he whispered.

She blushed harder, biting her lip. He cupped her face in his hand and kissed her. Eventually, Hinata felt herself loosen up again while they kissed, the heat rushing back in between her thighs. Slowly, they fell back on top of each other, the buttons of her discarded dress digging into her skin as she lay on her back. She held her breath upon feeling his tip on her entrance, looking up at Joichiro who stared into her eyes while he slowly went inside her.

"Oh, Joichiro," she moaned as he filled her.

"Does it hurt?" he asked as he looked down at her with concern.

"No," she said, reaching up to grab the collar of his shirt as she pulled him to her.

His kisses were gentle for a second, still worried that he might hurt Hinata as he thrust into her. But then she moaned, which is all the confirmation he needed. Joichiro barely let her breathe as his kisses grew more aggressive, his hand grabbing her waist as he thrust even harder. His other hand found hers and pinned it over her head, their fingers intertwined and held on as if their lives depended on it.

Hinata couldn't stop herself from moaning; the sound filling up the room, accompanied by the noise of the radio still playing a random love song, and the table banging against the wall of the barn. For a moment, she was worried that they would get caught or that people could hear them. The thought lasted for only a second and was gone the moment Joichiro reached down to rub her clit while he made love to her.

She felt her body build up to a climax again as her muscles tightened around his length. As if sensing her incoming orgasm, Joichiro picked up the pace and parted with her lips to leave kisses in other areas of her body. The unexpected sensation of a kiss on random areas of her body pushed her even further to the edge. And then like a tide washing over her at sea, she felt her muscles shudder as she reached her release. She screamed out his name as Joichiro met her with his own climax, slowing down his thrusts as they rode out their orgasms.

He looked down at her, panting as sweat dripped down his face and back. Letting go of her hand, he reached down and held her face, brushing his thumb against her cheekbone. Also breathless, Hinata stared up at him, a faint smile playing in her lips.

"You mean the world to me, you know that, right?" he whispered.

Hinata nodded as she leaned against his hand. "I know," she said, her voice breaking. She gulped, blinking back the urge to cry.

 **...**

"I always thought it'd be easy to create new recipes. Of course, not _easy_ , but you know what I mean," he said as he mindlessly trailed his fingers up and down Hinata's side, brushing lightly against the fabric of her dress. "But now the ideas aren't coming to me as easily as it did. I find myself thinking of ideas I've already done, which, of course, beats the point of innovating. It should always be new, better than before. And it's not as easy as it looks," he said, sighing.

After dressing up, they blew out most of the candles and turned off the radio before slipping into the sleeping bag to rest. As they've done every night, Hinata snuggled into Joichiro's arms which he impulsively opened once they settled inside the bag. They talked throughout the night about random things, mostly food and cooking. Hours later, the sun rose and the birds began chirping. Light streamed through the cracks on the wall as Hinata felt her heart beat faster, knowing what's about to happen.

"Is it worth it?" she asked, keeping her face hidden from his view as she rests her head on his chest. "All this hard work you do just to create new recipes." She could feel him looking down at her. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking this so you'd be discouraged. I just want to make sure that you're happy."

"Of course, it is. Because you're here," he said. Hinata looked up at him. "As long as you're here, I'll always have a reason to push myself. Finding new ingredients, learning techniques, creating recipes…none of its easy and without you," he paused, staring into her eyes. Hinata gulped, wondering if he could read her thoughts. "I don't know what I'd be doing all of this for. I could do this for the fame and money. That's easy, but I think I'd lose my way without you there. It all becomes worth it because, at the end of the day, you're who I dedicate my cooking to. All of this is for you, Hinata," he said, leaning over to give her a soft kiss on the lips.

"But what if I'm not here anymore?" she asked, breathing heavily to keep herself from crying.

"Why wouldn't you be here?" Joichiro asked, chuckling.

"Just hypothetically," she said, feeling her calm façade fall apart slowly as she sits up. "Let's say I'm gone for some reason. Will you still go out there and cook? Will you still do whatever it takes to be better?"

He props himself up on his elbows, looking up at her curiously. "Where is this coming from?"

"Just—I need to know," she said, her voice starting to shake. "Please."

"Of course, I'll still cook. Like I said, it's all for you. It doesn't matter if you're in the audience or not, because you're always with me. Having you in my heart is enough for me to keep going," he said.

Hinata felt her chest tighten as she saw the honesty in his eyes. "Promise me you'll never forget that, no matter what," she said, blinking as tears fell down her face. "I'm always here for you, Joichiro."

Joichiro sat up immediately and wiped the tears from her face. Hinata closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears from flowing. Holding her face in his hands, he whispered her name. She looked up at him. "You're starting to freak me out, Hinata. Where is this coming from?" he asked, more insistently than before.

Hinata paused, reaching up to gently pry his hands from her face. "I've been expelled from Totsuki," she said. Joichiro fell silent. For a few seconds, the barn was completely quiet.

"What?" he said, staring at her in disbelief. "How did this happen? Is it because of your shokugeki with Azami? I'll—" Joichiro said as he started to get up.

"You won't do a thing," she said as she swiftly reached up and grabbed his arms, forcing him to sit back down. "This isn't his fault. It's all mine."

"What do you mean?" Joichiro asked slowly.

"I've been failing my classes and after the match, Senzaemon-dono came to talk to me in the infirmary. I'm out of the program," she said.

Joichiro paused, recalling the letters he found in her drawer. Regret filled him as he thought he should've read the letters and done something about it. _Of course, I wouldn't have read the letters. Because if it has come to this I thought she'd at least tell me,_ he thought as panic started to rise in him. "How come you didn't tell me about this?" he said.

"I didn't want to worry you—" she said. Joichiro opened his mouth to protest. "You were busy with the shokugekis and contests. It's not your fault, but I just didn't want to burden you with my problems."

"But your problems are my problems too, Hinata!" he screamed, a little more harshly that he would've wanted. He internally winced as Hinata shrunk back. Joichiro sighed. "I've told you that I'm here for you no matter what. I meant that. You should've—"

"I'm sorry," Hinata said, looking down as tears fell from her eyes. "You're right. I should've told you. But there's nothing I or you can do now," she said, resigned.

Joichiro stared at her. Emotions swirled around inside him, there was too many that he couldn't pin down exactly what he felt as he looked at her tear-stained face. Breathing heavily, he tried not to be maddeningly frustrated with the woman he loved but he couldn't help it as panic and fear pushed him to be. "So this is it?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. "You're leaving, just like that?"

She looked up at him, her eyes swollen. "Trust me, this is nothing but easy," Hinata said, her voice breaking. "I wish there was something else I could do," she said, standing up from her seat.

"But, Hinata…" Joichiro protested, grabbing her hand as she stood up.

She looked down at him, tears flowing down her cheeks. "I have to go," she said, pulling her hand away from his grip. Outside of the barn, they could hear a car honking. "Goodbye, Joichiro-kun. I wish you the best." She smiles at him before rushing out of the barn.

Joichiro stared after her, paralyzed in his seat. Seconds later, he heard the unmistakable sound of a car door closing. _But I'm in love with you,_ he thought as he stared at the door. _If I told you that, would it be enough to make you stay? If you can hear me say this—_ He got off his seat and ran out of the barn, hoping he hasn't missed her.

He sprinted out of the barn. "Hinata—!" he shouted, slowing down to a jog as he saw her car driving down the road, already a distance away from where he stood.

Joichiro watched as the car turned a corner and eventually disappeared from sight. He turned around slowly and stopped as he saw Gin, Fumio, and Akiko watching him, pity evident in their eyes. Ignoring their stares, he walked towards the door.

"Joichiro—" Gin called out.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said as he calmly walked inside the dorm.

"Joichiro—" Gin called out again as he started to follow him inside.

Fumio grabbed his arm. Gin turned around to look at her. "Let him be," she said, looking at Joichiro who was slowly making his way up the stairs.

* * *

 _I hope you guys liked this chapter_

 _Comments are always welcome, please please leave one if you like it, hate it, have an idea, have a review, anything!_

 _Thank you so much!_

 _P.S. I don't know anything about medicine aside from what I've seen in Grey's Anatomy and House so please take all the medical details with a tub of salt_


	10. Chapter 10: Saudade

_Omigod, I am so sorry this took so long!_

 _Struggled with this particular chapter since it contains so many events. I skip a lot of months here because I didn't want it to go too long._

 _But even so, it's now the longest chapter so far. I hope you guys don't mind how the chapters keep getting longer and longer lol_

 _No nsfw warning for this chapter_

 _I seriously hope you guys like this chapter!_

 _Thank you all for the support! All of the views, comments, follows, and favourites, I swear they make my day!_

 _So I should probably shut up now and let you guys read it huh? Yeah..._

* * *

Chapter 10: Saudade

 **2025**

"You know I don't have any problems with bringing up Soma on my own. But I _really_ wish you could've been there to have that lecture with him, Hinata," Joichiro complained as he peeled an apple with his knife. "I'm not even sure I did it, right." He chuckles, recalling that particular night.

 **2018**

"Soma, after you're done here, we need to talk," Joichiro said, heading to the storage room to grab a bottle of whiskey.

"Okay, dad," Soma replied, glancing up at his dad for a moment before wiping the counter with a washcloth. Moments later, he walked over to one of the tables where Joichiro sat, nursing a glass of whiskey. He flopped down on one of the stools.

"I know this is going to be extremely uncomfortable for both of us, Soma," Joichiro said, pausing for a moment to gulp down the rest of his drink. He let the smooth drink go all the way down before speaking up again. "But I promised your mom I'd do this. So, here goes…"

"Dad?" Soma said, staring at his dad who was silent for a few seconds.

Joichiro sighed, clearly uncomfortable. "Now that you're fifteen, you need to know about the birds…and bees." He paused, looking down at Soma who just stared at him, confused. "You know…when two people love each other, they may show their love for each other…physically…" he trailed off, pouring himself another drink, making it a little higher than his first.

Soma jumped up from his seat and covered his ears, shouting, "Dad! We are _not_ having this talk!" He continued to shout random gibberish, avoiding his father's glare.

After watching Soma panic and word vomit to drown out his voice for a few seconds, Joichiro finally shouted, "Shut your trap and sit down!"

Hesitant, Soma slowly took off his hands and sat back down. "Dad…" he whined.

"Come on, Soma. I promised your mom. Don't make this more difficult than it already is," Joichiro said, wiping his face in frustration. Soma continued to mutter. "Okay, how about this, we have a shokugeki tomorrow and if you win, we don't have to have this talk. I'm sure you already know what happens if I win," Joichiro said.

"Deal!" Soma said, grinning.

The following night, they held a shokugeki when the afternoon regulars came pouring in. Joichiro won and they found themselves in the same situation as yesterday. Joichiro gulping down whiskey to get through _the talk_ and Soma listening uncomfortably, wishing the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

 **2025**

"But I guess, I must've done something since he made it this far without a hitch in that department," Joichiro said, throwing a piece of apple in his mouth. "I don't know if I explained it right or scared him to death, but I guess it worked," he said, shrugging.

He laughed for a while as the image of Soma's nauseous face flashed in his mind. Then his mind drifted back to their first time. "You know, while we were talking that night, I kept thinking of how lucky and happy I was. Of course, I had no idea you'd leave me when morning came."

A light breeze passed by, wafting his hair. "I told you I'm still mad about that day, Anata…" he whispered jokingly. The breeze returned, a little stronger this time. He laughed. "I'm just kidding. I know, I know. You were sorry. You kept telling me after all," Joichiro said, faintly smiling.

 **1996**

Joichiro stared up at the ceiling. It's a little after midnight, everyone is already asleep and Polar Star is completely silent. After dinner, most of the residents went to one of the rooms to hang out.

"Joichiro, aren't you going to join us?" Gin asked as Joichiro diverted away from the crowd.

"Maybe next time," he said, shaking his head as he turned to head up to his room. He avoided Gin's concerned gaze and went up the stairs.

He absent-mindedly went down the corridor and entered a room. Joichiro took off his slippers and stopped just before sitting on the bed, noticing that it was completely empty. _What?_ He thought, turning around. His heart skipped a beat. _This is Hinata's room. Must've entered it out of habit,_ he thought.

Joichiro looked around the still, bare room. Hinata had left nothing behind, it was stripped clean. Before he could stop himself, he walked over to the desk and opened each drawer, hoping she left something that he could remember her by. Maybe a letter, some herbal tea, or a picture. He checked every drawer, cabinet, nook and cranny, and found nothing. Joichiro walked out of her room, more dejected than before he entered it. He quietly went across the hall and slipped into his room, hoping no one noticed that he had accidentally walked into hers.

Now here he is, hours later, staring at the ceiling because he couldn't fall asleep. A little while later, his mind drifted off to Hinata's letter which sits atop his desk. The creases have become prominent after numerous folding and unfolding.

 _"Dear Joichiro,"_ he thought, capable of reciting the letter word for word after reading it more than a dozen times. _"I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly. And I know this won't make a difference, but if I had a choice, I'd stay and be with you. Totsuki is just not where I need to be right now. Hopefully, you will understand that someday. I wouldn't know if I said goodbye properly. But however it happened; I assure you that saying goodbye to you is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Possibly, the most difficult thing I'll ever have to do. My heart is forever yours, Joichiro. No matter what happens. With love, Hinata."_

He squeezed his eyes shut, cursing everything in the world including whoever's up there for crossing their fates that day. _Why in the world did I have to meet her?_ he screamed in his mind as he turned to lie on his stomach, burying his head in the pillow.

"Oh, screw it," he muttered, sitting up. _I guess I'll just cook,_ he thought, walking over to his personal refrigerator to see what he could do. There were a couple of ingredients inside and it didn't take long before he could think of a recipe.

Joichiro ended up cooking throughout the night. His finished dishes were scattered around the room, almost untouched. The sun had risen an hour earlier but he paid it no mind as he went on to start working on his first dish, thinking it could use a couple of improvements. He was so engrossed in his task that he didn't hear someone walk into his room.

"Joichiro-kun," he heard someone call out. He turned and looked up, carrying a pan in his hand which he dropped upon seeing his visitor. The pan landed with a loud thud, its contents spilling all over the floor. "Saiba-kun!" Akiko shouted, rushing over to where he stood.

The crash, along with her scream, pushed him out of his daydream. For a moment he swore it was Hinata who stood in front of him and called out his name. _I guess I need sleep now,_ he thought as he helped Akiko clean up. It took them a while to completely get rid of the mess, but the pan had left a permanent-looking burnt stain on the floor.

"Saiba-kun, have you slept?" Akiko asked as she looked around the room, noting the barely eaten dishes strewn around and the dark circles under his eyes. Joichiro shook his head, not seeing a point to lying. "You should get some rest. Don't worry, I'll take care of this."

"Thank you, Otsuka-san," he said, crashing into his bed. He fell asleep within seconds.

"What the hell happened here?" Gin whispered sharply as he walked inside a little while later. "Is this all his?" he asked Akiko, picking up one of his dishes.

"Yeah, looks like he's been cooking all night. He went as pale as a ghost when I walked in, even dropped a pan on the floor," she said, nodding to the dark mark on the floor.

Gin sighed. "This is not like him," he said, helping Akiko with the cleaning.

"I know, but we have to give him some space. It's not easy, but hopefully he'll figure it out on his own," she said, carrying multiple dishes in her arm. "I'm taking these downstairs. Waste not, want not," Akiko said, exiting the room.

"Why are you doing this to yourself, Joichiro?" Gin whispered as he picked up Hinata's letter, already fragile from excessive wear and tear. He opened a random drawer in his desk and placed the letter inside before cleaning up the rest of the mess.

* * *

Hinata paid the cab driver who helped her unload her things afterwards. She thanked him and he drove away, leaving her and her luggage in front of Yukihira Diner. She stared up at the sign, still unchanged after all these years. Moments later, she could hear the noise of the customers, the busy kitchen, and a particular voice standing out above the rest. Her father's. The familiarity of it all struck her like a hot knife going through butter as her knees went weak. _How am I going to tell him I failed?_ She thought.

"Hinata?" someone called out from behind her. She turned around. It's her childhood friend, Osamu Aki.

"Hey, Osamu, how are you?" she said, smiling at him.

"I'm good," he said, smiling back. "Do you need help with your bags?" Before she could reply and tell him she needs more time to prepare herself, he already picked up her bags and pushed the door open, carrying them inside. "Aito-san! Look who's back!" he called out, making everyone in the diner look at her.

She walked over to the counter, her head bowed down as she avoided everyone's looks. "Dad," she said quietly, expecting the worst. When he kept quiet, she looked up at him. There was a knowing look in his eyes, but she couldn't pin down what he's thinking.

"Change into your uniform and help me out," he said, looking away as he poured a dish into a plate.

Hinata nodded and went back to her things. Osamu helped her carry her things into her room. "Thank you, Osamu," she said absent-mindedly as she looked around her room.

"No problem, Hinata-san. I'll see you out there," he said before leaving her alone.

 _Everything's exactly as I left it,_ she thought. _Nothing's changed_. She slid the door shut and started to unbutton her dress. Images from last night flashed in her mind. Hinata shook her head.

"Stop it, Hinata," she scolds herself as she slips out of her dress.

The Yukihira uniform rests inside her cabinet, folded and untouched. Her hand smoothed over the soft fabric. _I'm back_ , she thought sadly. After changing into her uniform, she looked at herself in the mirror while she tied her hair up.

 _It's like the past year didn't happen,_ she thought, staring at the familiar look she wore day in and out all those years. _But it_ did _happen and it changed you._

"Not now," she whispered, her legs getting weak as she remembered Joichiro's face when she said goodbye. Squeezing her eyes shut, she breathed in and out slowly, trying not to cry for the third time that morning.

She opened her eyes slowly and took one last look at herself in the slightly stained mirror. _Just get through today._ Hinata grabbed her knives and headed for the kitchen. Her dad was still busy working on the orders and when he noticed her presence, he gave her some instructions.

For the rest of the day, they worked in relative silence, only her father's commands filled up the void every now and then. Even when they ate lunch and dinner in between services, they sat across each other and ate quietly. The tension put her on edge as she waited for the bomb to drop. Every time she'd hear him speak, Hinata would brace herself before realizing he was just telling her what to do. It was almost unbearable. It would be, if there weren't many customers that day, most of them childhood friends and former classmates of Hinata who had heard that she's back in their family diner.

She avoided their questions and just smiled at them politely. Eventually, they stopped asking and just filled her in on what she's missed since she left. Turns out a lot has changed around the shopping district and at school. What initially felt familiar to Hinata suddenly changed in the blink of an eye. She noticed that her friends look more mature and some of them are now dating. Her mind drifted back to her cab ride back home, recalling that her favourite sweets shop has already closed down. They said the old lady moved to her son's house in Osaka months ago.

 _Everything's changed,_ she thought. The crushing realization hit her like a bus and made her still for a moment. The smell of burning vegetables in her wok made her come back to her senses. Her friends continued to chat, unaware that she spaced out. Only half of her mind focused on them while the other half recalled her conversation with Senzaemon. _This isn't going to be enough. Everything's changed._ I've _changed. Things can't just go back to the way they were._

Eventually, their last customer had left. Her friends left an hour ago, bidding her goodbye. She smiled to them over the counter, waving her hand. When the diner was empty, Aito locked the steel rolling gates up front and slid the door shut. Aside from the sound of dishwashing and piling of dishes, the diner was completely silent. _Now the tension is unbearable,_ she thought as she continued to wash the pans.

Half an hour later and the kitchen is squeaky clean. Instead of heading for his room, Aito went over to one of the empty tables and sat down. Hinata followed directly behind him, preparing herself for the dressing-down she's about to get.

"I'm sorry I failed you, dad," she said, bowing her head.

"Were you happy?" He asked. Hinata abruptly looked up at him, speechless. "Did you make friends? Improved your skills?"

Still quite hesitant, Hinata eventually answered, "Uhm, yes, I made a lot of friends and Totsuki really challenges and pushes its students to improve. And I was happy…" She trailed off. _Really happy,_ she thought as Joichiro's face popped into her mind. Aito nodded. "But I failed my classes and got expelled. I'm really sorry, father."

"As long as you were happy and felt like the experience was worth it, then I'm not mad," he said. Hinata found herself speechless once again. The conversation is heading towards the opposite direction of what she expected.

"But…don't you want me to be as successful as you were…?" she said, it sounded like a question because she was completely unsure of what to say anymore.

Aito smiled faintly. "It's true that I want you to become successful. But I didn't send you to that school to become a famous chef and achieve what I once had. I sent you there because I saw potential in you and I had heard this school from an old friend. He's one of the few people from my Ginza days who still recognize me," he said. "Personally, I didn't learn cooking in a school. Never got a certificate or diploma for it. I was just taught by my mother and became better over time. But my friend convinced me that it's a great school for budding chefs, so I figured you can try it out. It's not ideal that you got expelled, especially since we have to rethink your plans, but it's not the end of the world."

Hinata stared at her dad. _He's never spoken to me like this before,_ she thought. "I thought you'd be disappointed in me," she whispered.

He shook his head lightly. "I'd never be disappointed in you, Hinata. I'm always proud of you," he said. After a second of silence, he sighed. "I've had a lot of time to think since you left for Totsuki and one of the things I've come to realize is that ever since your mother died, I've been a distant father. We're always working here, in the diner, but we've never sat down to talk like this."

"You're a great father, dad," she said.

He chuckled. "You got that from your mother, you know? She always saw the good in people, even when they prove her wrong," Aito said, looking out at nothing in particular. "You've had a rough childhood. It's not easy to take care of an alcoholic father. But you still grew up to be so kind," he said.

Hinata looked away, feeling a pang of guilt in her chest. "I'm not sure that's true anymore," she whispered, half hoping that her father wouldn't hear.

"Is there something you'd like to talk about?" Aito said, looking at her curiously.

She shook her head. "Maybe next time, dad. It's getting late," Hinata said.

Aito nodded and they headed for their rooms. Hinata stared up at the ceiling for a long time, her thoughts consuming her. The events of that morning ran through her mind endlessly, Joichiro's face etched in like a tattoo as she pictured other ways their conversation could've ended. And they all ended the same way. Her, rushing out of the barn as fast as she could and his heart breaking right in front of her eyes. _What if I had left before he even came home?_ She thought. _Would it have been better? Would it have made a difference?_ Cursing inwardly, she tried to shut down her tired mind. _What's done is done. You can't unring a bell, Hinata. All this over-thinking is pointless._

Two days later, Hinata went to retrieve their mail. She flipped through, expecting the usual. One particular letter made her freeze in the middle of the diner. The envelope only had her name in front, but she recognized the handwriting.

"Got the mail," she announced to Aito who only nodded, his attention on the newly delivered supplies. Throwing the rest of the mail onto the counter, she took her letter and rushed inside her room.

She stared at the envelope for a while, her heart racing in anticipation. Eventually, she slowly opened it and took out the letter. "Dear Hinata," the letter read. "How are you? I hope you are doing well. I miss you immensely. There's nothing much else for me to say, except I sincerely wish you are still here. Totsuki is not the same without you. Everything is not the same without you," Hinata paused, closing her eyes as she felt tears rising. After a while, she continued reading. "Will you be visiting Polar Star anytime soon? I know you probably have different plans. But I sincerely hope you consider visiting. Maybe someday when I get the time I can go to your diner and visit you. Nothing else would make me happier than seeing you again. Yours, Joichiro."

Hinata could hear her heart beating loudly as she folded the letter and stuffed it back inside the envelope. _Can things really go back to the way they were?_ She entertained the fantasy for a moment until the memories of her fainting in the shokugeki resurfaced.

 _The bright lights of the hospital blinding her vision as she heard doctors and nurses talking to each other and shouting orders. She couldn't understand what they were saying. For a moment their voices were muffled as if she was on the other side of a glass wall, listening in. Briefly, she could see Joichiro's terrified face as she struggled to sit up, calling out his name. They kept pushing her down and sticking things into and on her body. The sound of machines beeped wildly around her. She couldn't even tell what they were for. Is that my heartbeat? She thought, looking up at the monitor beside her. Everything in her vision kept fading in and out of focus. It's like someone keeps dimming and turning up the lights. She could barely move; her whole body felt weak. Resigned, she allowed the shadow to embrace her again. The only thing she could see on a grotesque repeat is Joichiro's pale, frightened face as he stood frozen, a distance away from her._

Hinata opened her eyes slowly. Tears had fallen from her eyes. Some had landed on the envelope in her hands; the 'H' in her name had become disfigured. _I can't put him through that again,_ she thought. _I'd rather die than see him hurt like that. He deserves better. He always has…I just foolishly thought that I did too._ She hides the letter and wipes her face. _Just get through today, Hinata_.

"Hinata!" Her father called out from the kitchen.

"Yes, father," she said, closing the door behind her.

...

"Dear Joichiro," she wrote down on a blank piece of paper. The rejected drafts were crumpled up and scattered around the desk. "Things are exactly the way they were here in the diner. I've been helping around. It's not the same as Totsuki and I kind of miss the challenging classes. I also miss you and Polar Star, but I'm afraid I can't come around to visit. I'm leaving soon and—"

Hinata crumpled up the draft again and threw it without direction. It bounced off the desk and landed on the floor, along with the other crumpled paper balls. "No, no, that's not—" She sighed, raking her fingers through her hair. "I can't do this. If I write him back, I'll be waiting for an answer and it'll go on forever and I'll never leave," she muttered. "It's going to be a cycle and I'll be stuck here. I can't—"

She stood up from her seat, breathing heavily. Her head started to feel light. Ignoring it, she hastily gathered all of the rejected letters and threw them to the trash bin outside. For good measure, she grabbed the plastic and stuffed the entire bag into the main garbage bin located outside their supply room. It was extremely dark and cold outside. The dawn is about to break in a while. She went back inside, hurriedly making her way back into her room, closing the lights as she walked past the switches.

 _Am I really doing this? Am I really leaving?_ She kept asking herself as she packed her things. _When should I tell dad? Should I tell him this morning?_ Am _I leaving this morning?_ A zillion more questions rushed through her mind as she continued packing. Eventually, Hinata decided she'll tell her father at dinner and she'll leave tomorrow morning. _That should give me enough time to think of what to say,_ she thought. _Just get through today._ Her anti-climactic motivational line seemed to work somehow.

...

"Dad, there's something we need to talk about…" Hinata said just as they were finishing up in the kitchen.

"Sounds serious," Aito said, looking up at her as he wiped the counter.

Hinata merely smiled back. When the kitchen was already clean, they sat down on the same table as the other night. Aito looked at her intently while Hinata composed herself. A few times, she'd open her mouth to speak but the silence continued to stretch.

"Okay," Aito said, sensing his daughter's distress. "Does this have to do with the crumpled up letters in the trash can?" Her eyes flew wide open as she stared at him. "Saw it earlier."

Hinata sighed. "I think I've figured out what my plan is," she said, pausing for a moment. "If it's okay with you, dad, I'd like to go away for now. I want to learn more about medicinal cuisine and I can't do that if I stay here." Aito nodded, contemplating. "I'll take over the diner someday, don't worry. But for now, I think, it's best if I travel and learn as much as I can."

This time, Aito sighed. "Are you sure you can do this, Hinata?"

She nodded. "I mean, I'm not sure that I have what it takes. But I guess it's another thing I'll learn." They stared at each other for a beat. "You and this diner mean the world to me, dad. But—"

"It's not enough," he said, smiling sadly. Hinata looked down, ashamed. Aito chuckled. "Well, you definitely got that ambition from me." He took a deep breath, looking up as he mulled things over. "I can't give you much, so you'll have to work on the side…"

"Don't worry about me, dad. I'll figure it out," Hinata said, a smile appearing on her lips.

"Oh, right," he said, smiling back at her. "You want to learn how to be on your own." She nodded. "Well…are you going to tell me what brought this on?"

Hinata stopped smiling and cursed inwardly. _I kind of hoped you'd forget about that,_ she thought. "You might not want to let me go if I tell you the truth…" she said.

"Well, I can't promise anything. But tell me anyway," Aito said, turning serious as her.

"I didn't actually get expelled from Totsuki." She paused, watching as her father looked at her with concern. "When I fainted a few days ago, it's not as simple as you think. The doctor said there could be a serious underlying cause and that I should get checked at a hospital."

"Yes, I remember him telling me that," he said. Hinata nodded. "Well, if you go, are you going to find out what it is?"

For a split second, Hinata weighed over the pros and cons of lying to her father. "I will, dad. I have a friend and his father's a doctor. They'll help me."

Aito nodded. "Something tells me I can't make you stay. And that something is the fact that you're as stubborn as your mother." Hinata couldn't help but smile. "Just promise me that you will take care of yourself. And if you get worse, you will come home, okay? Promise me…for my peace of mind."

"I promise, dad," she said. He smiled sadly at her. "I just need to do this. You have to trust me."

"Oh, Hinata. I have complete faith in you. I just want to make sure you're sure and happy with this decision," he said.

"I'm sure and I think this will make me happy," Hinata said confidently.

"Well, if that's the case, then I can't hold you back. When will you be leaving?" Hinata told him her plan of leaving tomorrow morning and taking the train to head for Osaka. "It seems you have everything planned out already. Why don't we get some sleep?"

They stood up from their seats and went to their rooms. For the first time in weeks, she fell asleep immediately.

Hinata opened her eyes and noticed the light streaming in through the window. She sat up and was greeted by the sight of her packed luggage. _Today's the day,_ she thought. _Am I really doing this?_ Her panicked thoughts were silenced by the smell of breakfast. She rushed to the kitchen where her father had already finished cooking their meals.

He smiled at her. "Let's have breakfast before you go, eh?" Hinata only smiled and helped prepare the table. They ate breakfast in surprisingly comfortable silence. The diner glowed differently this morning. She couldn't tell if it's because of the nostalgia or knowing that she won't see it for a long time or perhaps both. Either way, the diner felt more like home as they sat, eating oyakodon and miso soup.

"This isn't much but I hope it's enough," Aito said, handing over an envelope filled with cash. "Deposit it right away, okay?"

"Dad, I still have some money saved up—"

"Just take it, Hinata. For your old man's peace of mind," he said, shoving the envelope towards her.

Hinata took the envelope reluctantly. "Thank you, dad. This all means a lot to me and I know it's not easy for you," she said, smiling. The taxi arrived just in time. They loaded her suitcase in the trunk.

"Well," Aito said, not sure about what he's feeling. Hinata chuckled before hugging him for the first time in a long time. He froze and then shamelessly cried as he hugged his daughter back. "Oh, I will miss you so, my daughter."

"I will miss you too, dad. Take care of yourself, okay?" she said, smiling up at him with a tear-stained face.

Aito simply nodded. He could barely speak from crying. "Don't worry about me. Go," he said, pulling apart from their embrace. "You'll miss the train."

Hinata smiled at him one more time before climbing aboard the cab. She waved at him through the window. He waved back as he watched the car speed away. Hinata remained silent throughout the ride, mostly wiping tears off her face as she couldn't stop herself from crying buckets. Thankfully, the cab driver wasn't much up for a conversation either as he just continued driving to the train station.

There was no traffic as they sped through the streets. It didn't take long before they arrived. The driver helped her with the suitcase before driving away. There were a lot of people going in and out, rushing to get to work, school, or wherever they needed to be. Hinata took her time as she went inside. The board with all of the schedules loomed over her as she looked up at it.

"One ticket to Osaka," she said to the lady behind the counter when it was her turn. Half an hour later, she was already inside the shinkansen. _Goodbye, for now,_ she thought as she looked out of the window.

* * *

For Joichiro, the rest of the month passed by in a blur. It's not that he was on auto-pilot or something, going through the motions in a daze. But rather, he felt fuelled by something but he couldn't put his finger on it. After that all-nighter he pulled, he slept for an astounding twelve hours, waking up when the sun had already set. Gin called him down for dinner and he avoided hanging out with the rest again that night.

When he went inside his room after eating, the first thing he noticed was Hinata's letter or rather, its absence from his desk. Rather than rushing over to the desk to look for it, he sat down on his bed. _I need to get my mind focused on something else,_ he thought, suddenly determined. To move on? To keep his feelings in a lid? He didn't know, even after a few minutes of deep contemplation.

 _I don't know what I want to do with her or with what happened. And I don't know why I have this sudden urge to make myself busy. But I guess this beats sulking around in here or randomly creating dishes because I couldn't sleep._

Surprisingly, he found himself falling asleep a lot faster than yesterday. When he woke up, the sun was just about to rise. Joichiro went over to the pile of shokugeki letters addressed to him. He had completely ignored them since Hinata left, thinking he wasn't quite up for it. Now, refreshed and suddenly resolute to attain a goal he hasn't quite figured out yet, he called up the shokugeki department to confirm that he will accept them all.

Still, every now and then, he'd find his resolve slipping as he writes a letter to Hinata. When his first letter went unanswered, he told himself he'd never send another one. But whenever he found himself in a bind about a particular shokugeki or just remembering her all of a sudden, he'd send another one. Then the cycle would start all over again when he finds no letter from her in the mail.

"The victor for this shokugeki is Saiba Joichiro!" one of the judges announced and his name appeared onscreen along with the landslide score of 3 – 0 in his favour.

His opponent, whose name he didn't even bother to remember, rushed out of the arena. Gin met him as he headed for the changing room. He was saying something, but Joichiro couldn't register his words. _I won again. Why am I not happy?_ Shaking his head, Joichiro changed out of his cooking uniform in silence as he simmered in his anger and frustration. He could hear his opponent talking with his friend on the other side of the locker behind him but their conversation was muffled.

"I'm saying it's not fair!" he could hear someone shout. Joichiro was almost certain it's his opponent. He listened closely, even Gin stopped speaking to eavesdrop.

"Yeah," his friend said, scoffing. "Of all the people you go up against. I mean, he's a genius. No one should even be going up against him anymore."

Seething, he slammed the locker door shut before rushing around the locker separating them. Gin followed him, concerned.

"Oy! What the hell were you saying?" Joichiro shouted. The two jumped up in shock, backing away from him. "You're actually surprised that you lost? Did you even do anything to stop that from happening?" he continued to shout, advancing towards them slowly. They shrunk back, pale and frightened. "Well? I'll answer for you two _geniuses_. No, you fucking didn't!" he screamed, emphasizing each word. "You didn't even try; you didn't give it your best! So it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone in that arena that _you lost_! You just fucking gave up! And there was nothing I could do about it!" The room fell completely silent for a split second. "You just…gave up on me…" Joichiro trailed off breathlessly as what he's been saying dawned on him. The two were practically glued against the wall as they cowered from him. Joichiro backed away slowly and sat down on the bench, looking down at the floor.

Gin sighed. "You should go," he said to the two. They tiptoed around Joichiro, eyeing him warily.

"You better get your friend checked. He's crazy," Joichiro's opponent whispered to him as they walked past. Gin glares at them. They run out of the changing room. When their footsteps had faded, Gin went over to Joichiro's side.

"Okay, you're crazy," Gin said, leaning on the locker. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Gin," Joichiro muttered, his head buried on his hands.

Gin shook his head. "No, you know what? No. We've been 'not talking about it' for over a month now. So _no_ , we have to talk about this cause clearly Hinata leaving is affecting you more than you realize."

"I'm dealing with it, okay?"

"Sure, if you call exhausting yourself to death by cooking and battling day in and day out 'dealing with it'" Gin said. Joichiro looked up at him pointedly, clearly not in the mood for his sarcasm.

"How about we call it 'keeping myself busy'?" He retorted.

"Call it whatever you want, it's obviously not helping," Gin said. Joichiro looked away. "So why don't you just say it, okay? We both know you hate that she's gone so just say it…"

"Of course I hate it that she's gone," Joichiro said quietly. Gin stared at him in surprise before sitting down behind him. "I love her, Gin. I didn't even get the chance to tell her that. She just left. One minute we were happy and the next..." Joichiro shook his head as the memory of her leaving resurfaced in his mind. He decided to look out of the window instead.

"She didn't exactly have a choice. She got expelled," Gin said, staring at the lockers in front of him.

"No, I know that, okay?" Joichiro said, turning around to look at Gin who returned his gaze. "I'm not stupid or delirious. It's just—she didn't give me enough time."

"Time for you to convince her to stay?"

"Time for…" Joichiro paused, speechless. "I don't know," he said, throwing up his hands. "I just don't feel we were given enough time." He looked down at the floor, staring through his arms resting on his thighs.

Gin sighed. "Life's unfair," he said, unsure of what else to say.

"Life's a b—"

"Okay, okay," Gin interrupted.

They became silent for a while. "I sent her a letter, you know?" Joichiro said quietly, still staring at the floor. Gin looked at him, noting the despair in his voice. "Three letters, in fact. And she hasn't replied to any one of them. Kind of makes me wonder sometimes if she really loved me."

"Of course she did," Gin said. Joichiro chuckled darkly. "She does," he continued, more forcefully this time. "Look, do you really think that if you followed her she'd be happy? Think about it, why didn't she convince you to leave with her?" Joichiro remained silent. "She didn't want you to come with her because she wants you to be _here_ , in Totsuki, working on being the best chef in the planet, not trailing after her like some lovesick puppy," Gin paused, gauging his friend's reaction. "She loves you enough to let you go," He continued. Joichiro stood up from his seat and headed for the door. "Where are you going?"

"I just need to go for a walk. I'll see you back at the dorm," Joichiro said, not even looking behind him as he left Gin behind.

Joichiro strolled around aimlessly for a while, deep in thought. _Maybe I got the wrong address in my letters? I mean, that's the only possible reason why she's not answering them, right? It's either that…or she really just doesn't care,_ he thought, pausing as he arrived at a field. It was empty and looking around, he noticed that there aren't any nearby buildings. He sat down in the middle, picking at the grass. _Okay, that's ridiculous, Joichiro. Maybe she's just busy at the diner and can't answer your letters for now. I mean, if she doesn't care, she'd…_

"She'd leave me," he whispered as the realization took his breath away. All of his thoughts in the past month clicked into place like a key fitting into a lock. "She's gone. And she's not coming back."

 _I've been in a massive state of denial. What have I been doing? Writing her letters even though she hasn't replied even once, competing left and right to keep my mind away from the fact that I'll never see her again, even when I'm in competitions out of Totsuki, I hope that I'd run into her somehow? I've been stalling. But she's not coming back. She left me. She really left me._

For the first time since she left, Joichiro didn't keep his emotions at bay and they all hit him at once. He felt tears streaming down his face and he wiped them off immediately but they wouldn't stop pouring. Frustrated with the tears and angry at everything, he kept crying.

"This wouldn't happen if she had just told me that she was failing. I could've helped her, been there for her!" he shouted, not caring one bit if anyone was around to see him talk to himself. "But no, ever since I've met her, she's been keeping things from me. She wouldn't tell me why we can't be together, not even when we already started dating. She hid her probation and her shokugeki with Azami. And even if what Gin is saying is true, I wouldn't know 'cause she never told me. It's like she never trusted me with anything. Damn it, even when she got expelled, she kept it from me until the last minute!" Joichiro shouted, throwing the rocks he'd pick up from the ground. The wind picked up and blew his hair away from his face. He ignored it as his anger heated up his entire being.

"Everyone freaking knew except for me! And that was supposed to be for _my sake_ somehow? Damn it, Hinata!" His voice echoed throughout the field. Apart from a few birds chirping in the distance, no one seems to care. "My father was right. I never should've met you! You were a distraction and now instead of working on my dish for the competition, I'm screaming at the damn sky!" As if mocking him, the sky suddenly dimmed and poured rain. "I hate you! I hate you so much," he breathed out, his throat closing up as he felt hot tears and cold rain ran down his face.

 _Do you really mean that?_ He could hear Hinata's voice as him in his mind. Joichiro squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. "We both know I don't," he whispered. He could feel his anger fading away fast. "I love you. I always have, always will." He paused. "But you're gone. There's nothing I could do about it." _Yes, there is,_ his conscience returned, replacing her voice. _Think about it._

"What?" Joichiro whispered as he stared at the sky. The rain continued to pour heavily and every inch of his uniform is already soaked. The answer came to him moments later. "I should leave Totsuki and be with her," he said, standing up. "That's it," he whispered. _Can you really do that?_ "If that's what it takes, then yes, I can leave all this behind. Maybe I can even leave tonight."

Joichiro ran out of the field, hoping he's running in the right direction. The muddy ground made it difficult to run as he avoided the tree roots and branches. The cold February air made him shiver as he sprinted out of the forest. Hopping over the railing, Joichiro found himself in a paved road. He immediately realized where he ended up and ran again towards Polar Star.

It took him a while to arrive at the dorm. If the rain hadn't drenched his clothes, Joichiro was sure his sweat would've. Breathless, he rushed inside. _I'll face Fumio-san's wrath later for walking in with muddy shoes,_ he thought as he went towards the kitchen, hoping he'll find Gin there.

"Gin," he called out, panting as he pushed open the door.

Inside the kitchen, Gin and Akiko were in the middle of a shokugeki. The man in question immediately looked up and smiled at him. "Oi, Joichiro! Where the hell have you been?" he asked, stepping towards him. "You should join us," Gin said, grinning. "I'm about to beat Akiko."

"Hey! That's not true!" Akiko shouted. Gin laughed.

Joichiro fell silent as he looked at their smiling faces. The smell of spices, seared meat, grilled vegetables, and seasoning filled the kitchen. _I can't leave all of this,_ he thought. _Gin was right. This is where I should be._

"Earth to Joichiro?" Gin asked, looking at him with concern. "Will you be joining us?"

"I think I left my knives at the hall," Joichiro said.

Gin chuckled. "They're in your room. I brought them home after you left," he said.

"Thanks, but maybe next time. I have to take a bath," Joichiro said, looking down at his dripping wet uniform.

"Sure," Gin said, giving him a knowing look. Joichiro started to walk away. "Oh, uhm, have you thought about…what we talked about?" he said, closing the door behind him.

Joichiro nodded. "I'm taking care of it. For real, this time," he said.

"That's good," Gin said. "Are you alright?"

"I am. But as a favour, can you promise me that we won't talk about her anymore? Not even mention her name," Joichiro said. He could see the hesitation in Gin's face. "Please," he added.

Gin sighed. "Okay, I promise. But are you sure you're okay?"

Joichiro smiled at Gin. "Never been better," he said.

For the few weeks after that day, Joichiro had been doing a pretty good job of moving on. No more letters, no more projected frustrations. He still participated in a lot of shokugekis and competitions, but he no longer did them to keep his mind in a constant state of denial or to keep his emotions at bay. If anything, the past few weeks started to feel like everything was back to normal again.

Until one morning, he woke up and for some reason; he could tell something was up. Joichiro tried to shake off the feeling while he prepared for class. It didn't hit him until he saw the calendar. _Damn,_ he thought as he went inside the classroom. Much to Gin's surprise, Joichiro actually attended class on time. He was unusually silent, but Gin just chalked it up to morning lethargy. _At least he's in class,_ Gin thought.

After the first class, Gin thought he'd disappear off to another shokugeki but was consistently surprised throughout the day as Joichiro attended all of the classes. The only different thing was that he became chattier and more annoying as the day progressed, but Gin was too happy for his progress to be pissed. Joichiro left at some point after lunch, ignoring Gin who was calling him and shouting about some important meeting.

Gin watched as Joichiro walked away. He could tell something was wrong with him, but he didn't know what it was. Later that day, as he left his last class, he bumped into Akiko who was putting things into her locker.

"Hey, Otsuka-san," he greeted her.

She smiled at him and closed her locker. "Hey, Dojima-kun! Is something bothering you?"

"It's that obvious, huh?" She nodded, chuckling. "I can't tell what's wrong with Joichiro today. He attended his classes in the morning but then he bolted after lunch. I mean, how could he forget that today's the final deliberation day for the Elite Ten Council? I've been reminding him for weeks. He seemed pretty excited about it until this morning," Gin said, his eyebrows furrowing.

Akiko gasped and reached into her bag to get her planner. "Oh I think I know what it is," she whispered, looking up at Gin who stared at her curiously. "It's her birthday today."

The stress on Gin's face melted away as he everything suddenly made sense. "Right. Damn it, where the hell is he anyway? Have you seen him? We're going to be late for the deliberations."

"Isn't he at the Grand Prix competition? It's not too far from here and it's I think it's almost finished—" Gin didn't even wait for her to finish as he cursed under his breath and sprinted out of the building. "Wait, Gin—!" Akiko shouted, running after him.

He continued to run and turned a corner, heading for Totsuki's main gate. Gin felt someone grab his arm and pull him towards a different direction. "I said, wait!" Akiko shouted, tightly gripping his arm. He skidded to a stop. "If you take the subway, you'll never make it back in time! Come on," she said, taking his hand as she dragged Gin towards the nearest telephone booth.

Gin was partly in a state of shock as Akiko held his hand while they ran. He had no idea where she was taking him, but he just decided to go with the flow and returned her grip on his hand. As they sped across the square, Gin found himself staring at Akiko. Her long, red-orange hair gracefully bounced behind her and her hazel eyes had a sparkle in them that made his heart race.

He shook his head. _Now's not the time for this,_ he thought. _Plus, Ayame and I had just parted ways. Well, we weren't exactly together. So does that—_

His train of thought was cut off when they stopped in front of a telephone booth. She let go of his hand and rummaged for change in her bag. "I tried to tell you," she said breathlessly as she dialled. "It's faster if you call for a cab. Hello? Yes, thank you. The pickup location is at the Totsuki Academy in…"

Akiko's voice trailed off in Gin's ears as he walked away from the booth. He glanced down at his watch and felt the blood drain from his face. _Damn it, Joichiro. If we don't make it to the deliberations, I will strangle you to death with my bare—_

"Okay, the cab will meet you at the gate," Akiko said, walking over to where he stood. "Here's the address," she said, handing over a piece of paper. "I can't go with you, but you should really get moving if you want to make it back in time."

"Thank you, Akiko-san," he said, smiling at her.

He noticed her blush slightly. "Yeah, yeah, just go already, you baka!" she said, grinning.

Gin sprinted away, looking back over his shoulder at Akiko once. She waved at him. He found himself smiling despite everything. _I hope everything works out_ , he thought. When he got to the gate, the cab was already there waiting for him. He jumped inside immediately and gave him the address. The car sped forward and rushed through the streets. Gin barely paid attention during the entire trip. His mind was torn between Joichiro plus thoughts of murdering him and the moment he shared with Akiko earlier.

"The winner of the Grand Prix is Saiba Joichiro from Totsuki Academy!" They announced and the room burst into applause. Joichiro smiled and for the briefest moment, he felt happy.

"Saiba-kun! Could we have a word?" One of the reporters said, holding out a recorder. "We're from monthly 'Cooking Empire' and would like an interview—"

"Joichiroooo!" Gin shouted, pushing through the crowd of reporters and onlookers. He was visibly sweating and going by the intense look in his eyes, he clearly wasn't pleased with Joichiro.

"Huh? Oh, hey, Gin! Look, look!" Joichiro said, pointing his thumb at the sign flashing his name. "I won!"

"I don't care that you won!" Gin screamed. What followed was an endless stream of scolding which Joichiro ignored steadfastly as he plugged his ears.

Right after they had awarded him with the trophy, Gin dragged him out of the building and shoved him into the cab which Gin had instructed to wait for him. They arrived at the confirmation by the skin of their teeth. Exhausted and still seething, Gin barely appreciated the entire event and was still drained when they got back to Polar Star.

When the celebration had died down, Joichiro immediately headed for the kitchen. Gin and Azami followed right behind him. "Alright…" Joichiro said, shrugging off his jacket. "Let's have our daily cooking match."

"What're we betting?" Gin asked, much more alive now that he was an hour ago.

"The loser's on bath cleaning duty tomorrow. How's that?" Joichiro asked, taking off his necktie.

"Sounds good," Gin said, taking off his jacket.

"I'll be declining," Azami said, leaning against the counter.

"Hm? Why?" Joichiro asked, rolling up his sleeves. "Oh, I know! You're still dwelling on that loss from the other day, aren't you? How dumb! What's that saying…sensitive people never achieve greatness?" He teased. Azami was clearly getting irritated but stayed silent instead.

"Joichiro, stop teasing him so much," Gin reprimanded Joichiro.

The match was a landslide in favour of Joichiro. Azami went upstairs after the match while Joichiro and Gin stayed behind to clean up.

"I didn't want to say anything," Gin said, leaning on the counter. "But are you okay?"

"Of course, I am. Why wouldn't I be?" Joichiro asked, wiping his hands dry with a clean towel.

"You think I don't see what you've been doing today? Going to class, the competition, forgetting the Elite Ten deliberations, teasing Azami?"

Joichiro stared at him with an unreadable look in his eyes. It disappeared in a blink and was replaced by his usual bright aura. "Come on, Gin. That just sounds like what I do all the time."

"Sensitive people never achieve greatness?" Gin asked. "I've never heard you say that before."

"It's a saying, Gin," Joichiro said, laughing. "It's not exactly a catchphrase."

"Whatever you say," Gin said, sighing. "But it's March 9. We both know what that means."

Joichiro just smiled. "It's just one day, Gin. Cut me some slack. I'm okay, _really_ ," he said before grabbing his jacket and necktie. "Let's have another battle tomorrow," Joichiro said as he headed out the door, slinging the jacket and tie over his shoulder.

Moments later, Joichiro found himself staring down an empty piece of paper. "Dear Hinata," he wrote. "I know you haven't replied to my previous letters and I haven't sent another in weeks. But I know it's your birthday today and I just want to wish you a happy birthday. I also wish you well and sincerely hope that you are happy. Yours, Joichiro."

...

Joichiro spent the next few months researching and discovering new cooking techniques, flavours, and recipes that won him numerous shokugekis and competitions. He read numerous books, tried out various dishes around Tokyo and nearby cities, and experimented as much as he could in the kitchen. Not all of them proved to be fruitful though and on the days he'd find himself in somewhat of a block, he'd make up some horrendous dish that was in no way fit for human consumption. His schoolmates in Polar Star would test them and weep, but they'd only laugh at him, thinking he was fooling around. If only they knew the storm brewing in his mind.

 _They don't understand,_ he thought as he grinned at them, apologizing for his mistake. _No one would._

...

Second year started and he trudged on with his competitions and battles. Creating the winning recipe wasn't easy and it took all of his resolve to never give up. And yet at the end, his opponents would shrug off his win, saying he was a genius and they never stood a chance. _That's not exactly fair,_ he thought as they walked away. But he knew there was nothing he could say to make them realize how much hard work he put into his dishes. They all dismissed him as a genius. And try as he could, Joichiro couldn't help but feel hurt every time. _I'm not a genius. I just do my best._

After reading a book on African cuisine, Joichiro slumped on his seat, sighing in frustration. He took out a blank piece of paper and pen. _I probably shouldn't,_ he thought. But he wrote anyway. "Dear Hinata," he wrote down in his letter. "You may not receive this and I know you've never replied. But I need you. More than anything, I need you. If you read this, please answer me. In the past, you were always the calm whenever I found myself in the middle of a storm. Well now I'm going through one and you're not here. I need you more than anything else. Yours, Joichiro."

* * *

Adjusting to living in a Buddhist temple wasn't easy for Hinata. But after a few months, she eventually got used to the strict schedule, meditation, rules, and above all, their way of eating. It was a little difficult to adapt to the food aspect, especially whenever she was tasked to cook. Hinata decided to look at the brighter side of things. It's limiting, but it's also forcing her to become more creative or resourceful. She believed that temple food doesn't have to be boring and the monks became fond of her cooking.

One day, instead of heading to the library like she always does, Hinata decided to walk around the mountain. The cold, December air was unforgiving. Thankfully, she wore many layers in anticipation. The streets were covered in snow and there were not a lot of people around. She walked into a temple and took out the incense sticks she had brought with her. Hinata lit the incense sticks and offered a prayer. She prayed for the temple, for her father, and for Joichiro.

The temple was mostly empty and Hinata took her time. When she was done praying, she kept exploring the mountain. Ten months ago, the freezing conditions would've rendered her immobile. But ever since staying at the temple, meditation had helped her immensely. It has also prepared her for situations such as this. Hinata strolled around calmly, thinking about how much her life had changed in the past few months.

 _I wonder how Joichiro is doing,_ she thought. She pictured Joichiro walking beside her. It took a while for her memory to process his image. At first, it had been easy to imagine having him around. But as the months passed, her memory would gradually fail her. What took mere seconds at first now took a full minute or two. Losing touch of how he looked, sounded, and felt like unnerved her endlessly and made her heart ache. Clinging to his memory would keep her up on some nights as she desperately tried to remember every inch of his face, how he smiled, talked, and the feel of his arms around her whenever they'd embrace. She found the daydream to be helpful; especially on the days she found it difficult to be somewhere so far from home. Or rather, they helped up until the point she snaps back to reality and realizes that he's not there with her.

As she walked on the snowy path, she could see him strolling casually to her right. His hands in his pockets and his hair loosely tied in a ponytail. _I hope you're happy,_ she imagined telling him. _You're probably even greater now. More famous than before._ Hinata chuckled, recalling Joichiro's fan club. _Oh, before I forget. Happy Birthday, Joichiro._

Hinata smiled, looking to her right. Instead of facing him, she found herself smiling up at a tree. _And here's reality,_ she thought sadly. _I should probably head back now._

* * *

 **1997**

Joichiro came home to Polar Star one January day after a competition. He won, of course. And his opponents all looked at him with disdain. He tried to shrug it off, but still, he couldn't help but feel out-casted in some way. When he arrived at the living room, Joichiro found Azami, Gin, and Fumio already talking inside. He challenged Gin and Azami to a match which at that point, was already a nightly thing. Joichiro won the match and Gin cursed.

"Even though I lost today, there's still room for improvement next time," Gin said, huffing in frustration. _Right, improvement,_ Joichiro thought, staring at Gin. _They're still so eager,_ he thought, slightly jealous and frustrated. _Have I lost that?_

Gin looked at him and hummed. "What's wrong, Joichiro?"

He only laughed. "This dorm really is the best!" Joichiro returned to teasing Azami, hoping that Gin doesn't notice anything wrong with him.

The following morning, the participants for BLUE was announced. Joichiro expected a rush of excitement and happiness. But what came over him instead is a wave of dread. He walked with Gin to class and on their way, a bunch of schoolmates congratulated him and showered him with compliments and cheers. He thanked them absent-mindedly. Suddenly, he noticed they were surrounded by a circle of students and right in front of them is one particular student.

"Hey, Saiba, congrats on getting into Blue, but you know…" the guy said. Joichiro couldn't recall his name, but he definitely looked familiar. He could hear the others whisper that the student is a Sawatsubashi heir. _I see,_ he thought as Joichiro listened to the guy ramble on about putting his participation up for grabs in a shokugeki. _If you win it by seriously cooking,_ he thought, scoffing in his mind. _The nerve of this guy. Ahh, there it is again. Genius. That name is really getting into my nerves now. Why do they think this all comes naturally for me? My dishes and everything I've achieved were borne out of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears. At times, literally. The gall these douches have to dismiss my achievements as a product of mere genius. I'll show them._

"Let's go, Joichiro. No need to face the likes of—" Gin said, looking away.

"Since he's already said that much, maybe I should show him my full abilities," Joichiro said. He could feel Gin staring at him. "Go and gather up as many people as you want. We'll be doing 'that,'" he paused. Everybody is staring at him now. "The regiment de cuisine!" The students murmured and whispered in shock.

"All right. Well then, go and gather all your friends from your dorm then," the guy said.

"No need," Joichiro said, feeling a deep-seated anger building up in him. "I alone am enough."

"You don't mean," they exclaimed. "He plans to defeat close to fifty opponents all on his own?!" _Yes,_ Joichiro thought. _Come at me with everything you've got. "Seriously cook" against me. Catch up, for the love of everything. Catch up to me._

"Joichiro, why are you…?" Gin asked.

"Hey, you mind not interfering?" Joichiro said, looking at Gin over his shoulder. "I'm just going to shut them up," he said.

Joichiro gave them a week to prepare for the match. He slaved in the kitchen the entire time. Everyone in Polar Star, especially Gin and Azami, tried to help him out but he shut them out completely. _I know they mean well,_ he said. _But I am desperate for someone to finally catch up to me. If it means losing that BLUE participation, then so be it. I can't keep going through this wasteland alone. Hinata, where are you now that I need you the most?_ He thought, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the kitchen counter. Joichiro was alone in the kitchen. It's already three in the morning. Dishes, pots, pans, and ingredients surrounded him. _You promised me you'll always be here for me!_ He shouted in his mind, wiping away tears that had begun to fall.

 _It's been a year since you left,_ he thought. _And it's getting more difficult to keep going without you by my side. I know I promised you that I'll keep you in my heart and that it doesn't matter if you're not here physically. But I don't know where my heart is anymore. I don't know where I am anymore. Gin and the rest of them, they won't understand me like you did. But you just hung me out to dry._

* * *

Hinata stared out into the river that gushed in front of her. Travelling to Kumano Forest took her a while, but the peaceful environment was well worth the trip. One of the monks in the temple talked to her a week ago while they harvested leaves and vegetables from the garden.

 _"Something is holding you back," she said. Hinata looked up at the monk who had been silent since they started working. "You've been here for almost a year now. You know you have to let go of your ego in order to achieve peace." Hinata stayed silent. "What brought you here, Hinata?"_

 _"I told you before, Obousan," she said, smiling politely at the monk who looked at her curiously. "I need to study medicinal cuisine…"_

 _The monk only smiled at her. "What really brought you here?"_

 _Hinata looked down at the damaged leaves. "There's someone I'm trying to forget in Tokyo," she confessed. "I loved him very much, but I had to leave and it hurt him."_

 _"Have you apologized for what you've done?" Hinata nodded. "Then why are you still holding on to such an unhealthy guilt?"_

 _"I don't think I deserve his forgiveness, obousan," Hinata said, looking away._

 _"Hmmm…so much 'I's," she said, pausing to look at her. Hinata continued to look down at the plants. "If you are truly sorry and have sought forgiveness, then there is no need to dwell on your mistake."_

 _"But, obousan…" Hinata said, looking up at the monk._

 _"You are a good person, Hinata. One bad action does not make you an evil person." She said, smiling at her. "Let go and focus on the present. Move forward with your life, but be mindful to keep yourself from hurting someone again."_

 _"And how about him?" She whispered._

 _The monk looked around at the plants in front of them. "Do you see these plants? Winter has not been so kind to them," she said, touching the damaged leaves. "But they still grew. And soon, winter will pass and they will grow even more." Hinata watched as the monk plucked the leaves. "Just have faith. Like these plants, he will be alright. And so will you."_

The sound of the flowing river rushed back to her ears as she snapped back to the present. Sitting down on a wide rock, Hinata closed her eyes and began to imagine Joichiro in front of him. It took a little longer than usual but eventually, she could imagine him sitting in front of her. His long hair grazing his shoulders, that one strand hanging in front of his face which smiled up at her as he sat casually on the ground, unfazed by the dirt and bit of snow. The warm, morning sun streamed through the trees, casting a glow on his face.

 _"Hi, Joichiro," she imagined saying._

At the exact same moment, more than 500 kilometres away from where Hinata is, Joichiro stands in the middle of the shokugeki arena, facing down fifty students. The audience area is packed with students who eagerly await how the match will turn out. Even the professors, lecturers, and the headmaster are watching. There hasn't been a regiment de cuisine like this in Totsuki's entire history.

"Well, are you ready, Saiba- _senpai_?" Sawatsubashi-san asked him, mockingly. Forty plus chefs stood behind him and they all glared at Joichiro, eager to knock him down.

He merely chuckled. "I think the question is…" he said, tying up his hair into a ponytail. "Are you?" Joichiro said menacingly.

 _"It's been a month since I've last talked to you like this," Hinata thought, still imagining Joichiro in front of her. "And it's been a year and a week since I've last seen you. But I think I need to let go of you now."_

 _"Why? I'm in your imagination," Joichiro said. "This can't hurt anyone."_

 _"It's hurting me," Hinata said. "And I think, I've been letting this daydream hurt me for a long time because I couldn't forgive myself for what I've done to you. But they're right. I can't keep holding on to this guilt because it keeps me from moving forward with my life." Joichiro stares at her. "I'll always feel bad for what I did, but I can't let it swallow me whole anymore."_

 _"So you're letting me go?" He asked._

"The winner is Saiba Joichiro!" Ayame Kanda announces through the speakers for the nth time.

"Hey," Joichiro calls out to the group of chefs he still hasn't faced. "Let's make this go along quicker. Come at me ten at a time. I'll take you all on." He said, beckoning them as he curled his finger threateningly.

This got them all riled up and ten chefs immediately ran towards the arena. "Don't underestimate us, asshole!" They shouted. He presented dish after dish and crushed them all consistently. They stared at him, a mix of fear and jealousy evident in their faces.

 _"This isn't any easier in my imagination, you know," Hinata said. "I can't keep imagining you like this. It isn't healthy. The thought of you haunts me wherever I go, but it's been a year. I have to—"_

 _"Move on, I know," Joichiro said. "Well, why don't you already?"_

 _"You know the answer to that…" Hinata whispered._

 _"Because this daydream is all that you have left of me," he said. She stayed silent. "But, Hinata, we both know you can't keep this going. This isn't living."_

 _"No, it isn't," Hinata said, resigned. "So I guess, this is it…I'm saying goodbye again."_

 _"I'm already gone, Hinata," Joichiro whispered. "You just have to let me go."_

"Hey, you, send the next one out," Joichiro said, glaring at Sawatsubashi. "I'll take them on."

He shook his head. "No, I mean…I—After all…" He stuttered, cowering away from Joichiro. Sweat dripping down his face.

"Come on now," Joichiro said, sauntering closer to him. "That's not how this goes." He grabbed his shirt and pulled him close. "Despite having zero inkling of just how difficult it is, trailblazing new paths, you dare dismiss me as just a genius. Must be nice to be so carefree, huh?" Sawatsubashi looked at him with fear. "With that half-ass resolve, did you really shout at me to 'cook seriously,' huh?" He paused, scowling at him. "If you don't plan on putting out a plate, then just quit already." Joichiro let go of his jacket, staring him down instead. "I'll give you your last rites," he said, his low voice echoing throughout the silent arena.

 _"Goodbye, Joichiro," Hinata whispered. He smiled at her._

Hinata slowly opened her eyes. Joichiro was no longer in front of her. She waited for the excruciating pain that she expected to hit her like a gunshot. But as she watched the river, she only felt lightness in her entire being. _Is this what it feels like? This is…_

"Isn't this kinda…" one of the students whispered.

"Yeah, it was terrifying…"

"This isn't how you normally win…"

"This is different from the Saiba we knew…"

They all whispered in hushed tones, staring at the arena. All fifty chefs were sprawled across the floor, defeated. Joichiro stood above all of them, removing his hair tie as he looked down at them with disdain.

They had called him all sorts of names during the span of the shokugeki. At first, they called him a pioneer, a gourmet trailblazer, revolutionary, a true genius… But by the end of that historical regiment de cuisine, only one name can be heard across the entire hall…

"Asura," they called him.

"Peace," Hinata whispered, closing her eyes once more. "Finally."

* * *

 _So there's chapter 10!_

 _I really hope you guys like it!_

 _Please leave a comment if you have any question, complaint, suggestion, if you want to hug me or rip me to shreds. All welcome, seriously HAHA_

 _Also, I hope the bit at the end where Hinata is in Kumano while Joichiro is in Tokyo at the same time isn't confusing. I didn't really know how to convey it much. I can see it from a film scene perspective, and I tried my best to relay that to writing._

 _Anyway, there, I'll do my best to upload the next chapter faster!_


	11. Chapter 11: TEASER When We Were Young

**Please Read:**

First of all, I am so sorry the updates are taking so long!

This bum is not a bum anymore. I just got a job and have been pretty busy lately which is why I haven't had much time to write.

So updates are going to take longer than usual from now on, which I apologize for in advance.

I hope you guys still stick with me and this story! Worry not, I'm committed to finishing this story. It's just going to take longer than expected. :(

So to make up for the wait somehow because I won't be able to post Chapter 11 soon, here's a teaser!

Also, is it just me or are my recent reviews a little...I don't know, weird? Whoever's been leaving them, maybe you can send me a message to explain? I'm not mad or something. If anything, I'm just plain confused. HAHA

Anyway, here's the teaser. Hope you guys like it!

* * *

[Chapter 11: When We Were Young TEASER]

 **1997**

The next day, the front desk called him at exactly nine o'clock and Joichiro left an hour later, suitcase in hand. Since Kyoto is relatively close to Osaka, it didn't take him long to arrive at the station. Once he got there, Joichiro stared at the address listed in his itinerary.

"Excuse me," he said to a passerby. "Do you know where this place is?" Joichiro asked, showing him the address in the invitation.

"Oh, just walk straight and there's an escalator to the right which will lead you to the hotel entrance," the man said, pointing down the corridor. He left right after Joichiro thanked him.

He found the escalator soon after. When he arrived at the second floor, he was met with a large, spacious lobby. "Welcome to Hotel Granvia," the lady in the front desk greeted him, smiling.

* * *

The kitchen was relatively silent as the other chefs hadn't come in yet. Hinata focused on prepping the vegetables, currently working on the shallots. Aside from her, the only other person in the kitchen was the head chef who was concentrating on the bills, letters, and menu.

"Hinata-san, are you busy tonight?" Chef Ito asked her, holding an invitation in his hand.

She looked up at him. "No, chef," she said, looking at him curiously.

"You should go to this cooking competition. I think it's at this new hotel, just read the invitation for the details," he said, handing over the invitation. Hinata took it and read the information listed inside. "They wanted me to go, but I have plans with my family tomorrow morning." She looked up at him. "Plus, since you're leaving, maybe you could scout for a replacement."

Hinata nodded. "Yes, chef, will do."

"Okay, good," he said. "Also, you're from Totsuki, right? I heard that one of the participants is from there. Maybe you know each other." Hinata's heart raced. _Could it be Joichiro?_

"Do you know who it is?" she asked, trying not to sound too excited.

"I forgot the name," he said, shrugging. "So, I guess, you'll have to see for yourself. You could leave after the prep for the dinner service so you have time to freshen up."

"Thank you, chef," she said, noting the required attire listed in the invitation. Chef Ito walked away and returned to working on the menu.

Hinata did her best to silence the eager thoughts racing through her mind while she worked all day. It was easy, considering their reservations were full for both lunch and dinner service. Everyone in the team could barely get a few seconds rest before working again. The hours passed by and before she knew it, it was already time for her to get ready.

"You can go now, Hinata," Chef Ito said, prompting the other chefs to look at her.

"Thank you, chef," she said, removing her apron.

After gathering her things, Hinata left the restaurant and headed home. She noticed her face in the reflection of a store front as she passed by. _I look like a mess,_ she thought. _Oh, makeup!_ Hinata rushed to the nearest store and bought a few pieces of makeup. _Mascara, lipstick, eyelash curler, eyeliner, and foundation, and brush set,_ she enumerated in her mind as she rifled through her basket. She grabbed a beauty magazine near the counter and added it to her pile before paying. When she arrived at her place, she knocked at the landlady's door first.

"Oh, Hinata, you're already back from work?" the landlady asked, smiling up at her.

"My boss is making me go to this event later," Hinata said. The lady ushered her inside and closed the door behind her. "I was actually wondering if I could borrow a dress from your daughter, if it's okay. All of my clothes are too casual and the place is really fancy," she said nervously.

"Of course, of course! You actually have the same size as my daughter," she said before disappearing into a room. Minutes later, she reappeared, carrying a black, silk, slip dress. It flowed elegantly and glinted against the bright light of the room. "I think this will suit you well, dear."

Hinata took the dress which she handed over after removing it from the hanger. "It looks absolutely beautiful, Obaasan," she said, admiring the smooth fabric.

"Take it," she said. "Just return it before you leave."

"Of course," Hinata said, smiling. "Thank you so much!" She couldn't help but give the old lady a hug but not without being careful to keep the dress from potential wrinkling.

Hinata decided to take a bath first to get rid of the smell of smoke, spices, and dirt which had attached to her hair and skin after spending all day in the restaurant. After much needed skin care, she slipped into the dress which fit her like a glove. She took some time to admire herself in the mirror, noting how the dress effortlessly hugged her curves without suffocating her. The dress reached a little past her knees and matched perfectly with the pair of ankle strap stilettos she bought last month for the restaurant's anniversary celebration.

 _Now here's the difficult part,_ she thought, sitting down in front of the mirror. With her arsenal of makeup products laid out in front of her and the beauty magazine open on her lap, Hinata did her best not to mess up the eyeliner. _How people do this on a daily basis is beyond me,_ she thought, fanning her face as she kept her eyes closed. She took more time finishing her makeup compared to taking a bath and dressing up combined. But in the end, it was all worth it as she looked at her transformed self in the mirror.

 _I almost don't recognize myself,_ she thought, staring at her made up face. Hinata glanced at her watch and cursed, grabbing her purse and trench coat on her way out of the door.

"Hotel Granvia, please," Hinata told the cab driver.

* * *

So there you have it!

Will they meet? Will they not meet?

Leave a comment if you have a theory or suggestion!


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